Big Ben
1897
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1897
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Childe Hassam shows Big Ben as a pale gray tower rising through mist. Wet streets below glow orange from gas lamps. Brushstrokes blur the city into a dream. Hassam painted here twice, once in 1897 and again in 1907. The later version softens the scene, letting the fog swallow edges. He loved London’s damp light. Next look up: Hassam, Childe.
