On the Deck 1883

Childe Hassam painted 'On the Deck' using watercolors on paper, a medium often associated with sketching and preliminary studies. Here though, it's used to capture a scene of industrial-age leisure, with the texture of the deck, rigging, and details all precisely rendered. The transparency of watercolor allows Hassam to depict the play of light and shadow on the wooden planks, as well as the metallic surfaces. The fluid nature of the paint echoes the movement of water, creating an atmospheric effect. Hassam’s choice of watercolor isn’t accidental; the portability of the materials made it conducive to en plein air painting, aligning the work with both Impressionist aesthetics, and the realities of leisure travel. He is not making the viewer think about labor, rather the accessibility of travel, and the tools that facilitate his painting practice. In this way, the work challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.