The artwork titled “Skating” was created by the artist Childe Hassam, a distinguished figure in the Impressionism movement. This piece is classified as a genre painting, capturing an everyday scene with a focus on the subtleties of light and color.
The artwork depicts a lively winter scene with a group of young individuals engaged in a game of ice hockey on a frozen expanse. The composition is animated, with the dynamic postures of the skaters and their intense anticipation vividly illustrated. Flanked by bare trees and a distant, hazy backdrop, the central figures are sharply contrasted against the muted, wintry landscape. The use of soft, diffused light, a hallmark of the Impressionist style, enhances the mood and evokes a sense of nostalgia and communal joy.