Boston Common at Twilight

Frederick Childe Hassam, one of America's best known impressionists, was born in Boston and studied in Paris where he took to painting in brilliant color. A prolific artist, Hassam painted numerous scenes of both the city and the countryside in Boston, Paris and New York.

The soothing effects of dusk on freshly fallen snow are juxtaposed with Boston's busy streets. Boston Common at Twilight, 1885-86, by Childe Hassam (American, 1859 - 1935) depicts Hassam's view of the city's oldest park. Both the unusual, asymmetrical composition and the subject - the bustle of the modern city contrasted with the tranquil, snow-covered park, were likely inspired by views of Paris that Hassam saw in Europe in 1883. The original work is part of our Art of the Americas Collection.