East Course, Maidstone Club 1926

Childe Hassam painted "East Course, Maidstone Club" with oil on canvas, capturing a leisurely scene. The loose brushwork and pastel hues create a dreamy atmosphere, but also speak to the material reality of paint itself. Hassam applied the paint in visible strokes, allowing the texture of the canvas to peek through. The materiality of the paint is crucial here. Notice how the brushwork captures the texture of the grass, the sand dunes, and the subtle reflections on the water. Beyond the visual pleasures, consider the social context. Golf, at the time Hassam painted this, was largely the preserve of the wealthy. By depicting this scene, Hassam provides a glimpse into a specific social milieu, where leisure and affluence went hand in hand. The visible labor of the brushstrokes, paradoxically, highlights the absence of manual labor in the scene itself, emphasizing the privileged world of the golf course.