Hassam, << HAS uhm, >> Childe (1859-1935), was an American painter. His most important paintings show the influence of the French Impressionist movement of the late 1800’s. Like many French Impressionists, Hassam used patchy brushstrokes to try to capture the effects of sunlight and atmospheric conditions, such as mist. But Hassam’s pictures have more solid figures, an increased use of black, and a greater use of perspective than the works of the Impressionists.
Frederick Childe Hassam was born on Oct. 17, 1859, in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He met the French impressionists while studying painting in Paris in 1886. In the 1890’s, he painted scenes of New York City in a lively style. During the early 1900’s, Hassam painted scenes of the New England seashore and countryside. Many of these pictures portray New England towns, with white churches outlined against dark pine trees and blue skies. He also painted the fishing boats and surf of Gloucester, Massachusetts. He died on Aug. 27, 1935.
