The "Home Sweet Home" Cottage, Easthampton 1921

Editor: This is Childe Hassam's "Home Sweet Home" Cottage. The intricate linework gives it a certain whimsical feel. What do you make of its composition? Curator: The density of the marks creates texture and depth. Note how the strategic deployment of the hatching conveys the forms of the cottage. What is your assessment of the relationship between light and dark? Editor: I'd say that the darker areas make the cottage feel very grounded. Curator: Indeed. This use of chiaroscuro enhances the formal structure. It reinforces the volume of the cottage. The interplay is paramount. Editor: I never considered the linework as a way to add depth. Curator: Attending to form and structure reveals so much.