“At Gloucester” is an artwork created by American Impressionist Childe Hassam in 1890. Classified as genre painting, this piece is a fine example of the Impressionist art movement, which focuses on light and its changing qualities, often with an emphasis on the passage of time, movements, and unusual visual angles.
The painting presents a lively scene from Gloucester, Massachusetts, capturing a moment of everyday life in this location. Hassam’s use of light and color reflects the Impressionist preoccupation with the outdoors and the atmospheric conditions of the moment. In the foreground, a body of water gently mirrors the surrounding hues, while a curved shoreline leads the viewer’s eye into the composition. Across the water, we see a streetscape bustling with activity: horse-drawn carriages move along, and figures are dotted on the pathways. The architecture of Gloucester is depicted with soft edges and a light palette, indicating a sunny day with shadows casting over the buildings and the ground. The brushwork is loose and dynamic, typical of Hassam’s Impressionist style, capturing a sense of movement and the spontaneity of the scene. Electrical poles rise into the sky, indicating the emergence of modernity in an otherwise tranquil town setting.