Blossoming Trees 1882

Childe Hassam painted ‘Blossoming Trees’ with watercolor and gouache, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. Hassam was one of the leading figures of American Impressionism, a movement that grafted French techniques onto American subjects. Hassam found many of his subjects in New York City, and he focused especially on scenes that captured the spirit of urban life. Here, however, he presents an image of the countryside, with the titular trees in full bloom. The work creates meaning through its hazy brushstrokes. Consider that many of Hassam’s contemporaries believed that art had a responsibility to depict modern life as it was actually lived. Impressionism provided one answer to this challenge. To explore that theme further, you might research the ways in which his art reflected or challenged the social structures of his time. Ultimately, the meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.