Moonlight, the Old House 1906

Childe Hassam made Moonlight, the Old House, at an unknown date using oil on canvas. The scene is built up from all these tiny, little strokes. Short, tight, brushstrokes create a shimmering surface, almost like the paint itself is breathing. Look closely and you can see how Hassam plays with the materiality of paint. It’s not just about depicting a house at night; it’s about the texture, the color, and the way light interacts with the surface. I love the way he captures the glow of the windows, those warm squares of yellow that cut through the cool blues of the night. It's like a little stage set. This emphasis on light and atmosphere places Hassam alongside other impressionist painters, like Monet. But Hassam brings something unique to the table, this kind of close attention to the surfaces of things, and the magic that can happen when you let paint do its thing.