House on the Main Street, Easthampton 1922

Childe Hassam made this etching of a house on Main Street, Easthampton, using a metal plate and acid, scratching into the surface to create a network of lines. I like to imagine Hassam outside, squinting in the bright light, trying to capture the way the light filters through the trees onto the facade of this old house. Look at how he uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up tone and shadow. It’s almost like he’s knitting the scene together, thread by thread. I think the varying densities of marks create a feeling of dappled light and shadow. You can feel the weight of those old trees, how they frame the house and give it a sense of place. What I appreciate most about this image is the way the artist uses line to evoke atmosphere and texture. It reminds me that even the simplest marks can convey so much feeling. I bet it reminds him of that particular location.