Sunset on the Sea 1908

Childe Hassam made this painting, Sunset on the Sea, probably with oil on canvas, and it’s all about how the eye sees, or thinks it sees. The paint’s slapped on, thick in places, kinda thin in others, but what’s cool is how the strokes build up, not just the image, but also a sense of movement. Look at the clouds – those horizontal marks aren’t trying to trick you into thinking they ARE clouds, they’re almost saying, ‘hey, I’m just paint, but isn’t it neat how I can suggest a cloud?’ See how the orange meets the blue at the horizon, that squiggly line? It’s rough, like a kid scribbled it, but it gives the whole scene a buzzy, alive feeling. Hassam reminds me a little of Monet, but with an American accent, maybe a bit less dreamy, more in your face. And that’s what painting is all about, right? A conversation across time, across eyes, where nothing’s ever really finished, just kept going.