The artwork titled “Grand Prix Day (aka Grande Prix Day, Champs Elysées), Sun” was created by Childe Hassam in 1887 using oil on canvas. This piece belongs to the Impressionism art movement and falls within the genre of genre painting. It is housed at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
The artwork captures a vibrant and dynamic street scene during the Grand Prix Day. It depicts several carriages, their occupants shaded by parasols and dressed in fashionable attire, proceeding down a tree-lined avenue. The light filtering through the trees and the elegant architecture visible in the background both highlight the artist’s skill in portraying light and atmosphere, hallmarks of the Impressionist movement. The overall atmosphere of the painting is lively and filled with a sense of anticipation and elegance, evoking the excitement and social importance of the event depicted. The composition’s loose brushwork and vivid color palette imbue the scene with a sense of immediacy, characteristic of Childe Hassam’s esteemed body of work.
