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You know there are some paintings that just get you every time you see them? Well, there’s one by Childe Hassam (17 October 1859 – 27 August 1935) that does this for me. So to celebrate his birthday, I thought we’d take a close look at his pastel painting, A New York Blizzard.

 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

 

A very contemporary-looking painting with this mysterious dark shape taking up a lot of real estate and placed right in the centre, the painting is basically monochromatic. 

Have a look at it really small.

 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

 

Dressed in black coats, pedestrians make their way through the blizzard which you can feel howling around them. Interestingly, the centre black stays just that, mostly black rather than being peppered with the white specks of blowing snow. Yet the features of the coats and umbrellas are hidden from us by…blowing snow. You can see how Hassam added faint hatched marks over the black. Look too to see how he softened the edges of the main shape’s contour on the left side with dark lines, almost scribbles.

 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail of black coat and umbrella
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail of black coat and umbrella.

 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the softened contour edge
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the softened contour edge.

 

Done on cardboard, it’s not clear whether the warm colours coming through in areas are from the cardboard or an added first layer colour. 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the warmth of the paper far left
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the warmth of the paper far left.

 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the warmth of the paper (?) coming through.
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the warmth of the paper (?) coming through.

 

Certainly, a very obvious colour added to the black, grey, and white mix is a turquoise. You see it as a mid-value hatched in various places throughout. And a lighter value in the sky, adding to the feeling of cold temperatures.

 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing some of the turquoise hatching.
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing some of the turquoise hatchings.
Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the turquoise colouring in the sky.
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail showing the turquoise colouring in the sky.

 

Other than the lamppost, very little is clearly revealed in this painting. You can see a spattering of yellow colour to represent the gas light.

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail of the gas lamp.
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.- detail of the gas lamp.

 

Have a look at the painting again and see what you notice.

 

Childe Hassam, "A New York Blizzard," c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. In its frame
Childe Hassam, “A New York Blizzard,” c.1890, pastel on wood pulp cardboard, 35 x 24 Cm (13 3/4 x 9 7/16 in), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. In its frame.

 

To read more about this painting, have a look at the commentary on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum website in Boston where this painting is housed.

Pastel had become popular by the time Childe Hassam painted this pastel and he became a regular user of the medium. To read more and see a collection of his pastels, check out the blog I wrote on the subject.

 

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Current IAPS show now online!

 

Ohhhh, a whole pool of inspiration just arrived!! All you need to do is check out the current online IAPS show – the 41st Open Division and the 9th Master Circle Division. Get ready to be in awe! Congratulations to all who were accepted!! And commiserations to those who didn’t. I know how it feels and this may help.

To get you started on your inspiration adventure, here are the Winners from each Division.

 

Sylvie Poirson, "Merveilles de la Vézère," pastel, approx 19 3/4 x 23 1/2 in. Best in Show, IAPS 41st Open Division
Sylvie Poirson, “Merveilles de la Vézère,” pastel, approx 19 3/4 x 23 1/2 in. Best in Show, IAPS 41st Open Division.

 

Tony Allain, "Sunset over Braco Rd," pastel, 20 x 25 in. Prix de Pastel. IAPS 9th Master Circle Division.
Tony Allain, “Sunset over Braco Rd,” pastel, 20 x 25 in. Prix de Pastel. IAPS 9th Master Circle Division.

 

And that’s all for now,

Gail


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