St. Thomas 1918

Curator: I’m drawn to the ethereal quality of this print. Childe Hassam created "St. Thomas" in 1918. The work before us utilizes etching, lithography, and ink in order to capture a sense of this locale. It's currently part of the Minneapolis Institute of Art collection. Editor: The etching really does give it this delicate, almost ghostly, appearance. It’s the scale of the architecture that overwhelms the composition. How does Hassam treat the people inhabiting that space? Curator: They’re very much secondary to the structure. The artist really uses that contrast to accentuate the scale of St. Thomas Church against its urban surroundings, making a statement about institutional power. Editor: Power? I'm seeing it also in terms of material: The printmaking allows for mass distribution, creating this idea, but also, making that monument more available than perhaps it actually was. How would this etching be different from a painting of the same subject matter? Curator: Well, a painting might focus more on the individuality and experience of the artist. Whereas printmaking suggests reproducibility, which is linked to how cities expanded, allowing artworks to spread and solidify public perceptions. Editor: Right, and the rapid reproduction through etching enabled accessibility on different tiers of the economy. It creates, in a way, its own architecture of culture! It would be nice to also know more about the paper used and what kind of accessibility and economic status that signals, even to today. Curator: Exactly! The rise of urbanism allowed for the widespread consumption and promotion of architectural marvels, and pieces such as "St. Thomas," become symbols in shaping community values through the mass-produced image. Editor: To me, it is compelling that the use of a typically reproducible media can also reflect this individual style of Hassam; as an artwork and also a commodity in its own right. Curator: I appreciate you pointing out that intersection! The politics of imagery and the consumption of art, are, like you pointed out, inseparable concepts! Editor: Indeed, and these techniques illustrate and inform, how buildings of symbolic strength become visually accessible and democratized.