Confirmation Day 1889

Childe Hassam made 'Confirmation Day' using oil on canvas. The painting captures a street scene with a cluster of figures dressed for a confirmation, set against the backdrop of quaint buildings and a textured ground. Hassam’s brushwork is loose and expressive, constructing forms with strokes that capture light and shadow, giving the scene an animated quality. The composition uses perspective, leading the eye towards the gathering figures and the activity beyond. Hassam’s application of paint is not just representational but tactile. It invites us to consider the materiality of paint and the way it can evoke a sense of place and time. The pastel colors and softened edges contribute to a dreamlike, yet immediate depiction. The formal elements Hassam employs serve not only to record a scene but also to engage with the changing ways of seeing and representing the world during the Impressionist movement.