Portraits of Places: The Prints of Childe Hassam, an American Impressionist

Frederick Childe Hassam (1859 - 1935) was one of the most significant artists of the American etching revival of the early twentieth century. Alongside such important painter-printmakers of his generation as John Twachtman, Frank Benson, and Julian Alden Weir, he employed etching to record the appearance and charm of both the urban centers and rural landscapes in turn-of-the-century America. Hassam's vivid portrayals of New York City, of the picturesque villages of eastern Long Island, and of the towns and coast of New England defined an essential aspect of the American scene for a generation of viewers. During his career, Hassam created more than four hundred prints, despite coming to printmaking late in life; his first serious engagement with etching and lithography only began when he was in his mid-fifties.

The prints included in Portraits of Places depict the full range of Hassam's vision of the rapidly evolving American landscape at the outset of the last century. The exhibition contains works from the Corcoran's outstanding collection of Hassam graphics, many donated by the artist's widow, augmented by a number of critical impressions from the Library of Congress.