St. Philips (Church) 1925

Childe Hassam made this etching of St. Philips Church likely in 1880, and the whole scene is built up from tiny marks. Hassam's a master of implying detail. Up close, it’s a swarm of activity, a dance of intention and accident. Look how he uses cross-hatching to build up the shadows under the eaves of the buildings. You can almost feel the weight of the stone, but it’s all just lines, like musical notes on a page. The trees behind the church are alive with scribbles, suggesting leaves rustling in the breeze. I love how the whole thing feels so solid and yet so fragile. It reminds me of some of Whistler's architectural prints, but with a slightly more American feel, more direct and less dreamy. It’s like Hassam is saying, "Here it is, the world in all its beautiful, messy detail." And then, as now, it's down to us to see it.