Artwork
The Land of Nod
The Land of Nod is an ink print by Childe Hassam. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right on stone: Childe Hassam / June 11th 1918; lower right in graphite: [artist's monogram]; lower left edge in green colored pencil by unknown hand: 1296 [circled]; lower left edge in graphite by unknown hand: Land of Nod. / Land of Nod; upper right in graphite by unknown hand: 17; upperleft verso in graphite by unknown hand: #27
About this work
This 1918 lithograph shows a quiet landscape seen from above. Rolling hills fade into soft grey lines. A few trees and a small building dot the beige paper.
Hassam used lithography, a method where ink sticks to greasy marks on stone. You can see the pencil lines beneath the grey wash. It feels like a quick sketch, not a polished print.
Try a similar mood in Childe Hassam’s other works.
Overview
Childe Hassam’s 1918 lithograph, titled The Land of Nod, depicts a tranquil aerial view of a gently rolling landscape. The composition is rendered in muted greys set against the natural tone of the wove paper, creating a subdued, contemplative scene that emphasizes the simplicity of the terrain and its sparse elements.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a modest expanse of undulating ground punctuated by a handful of trees and a diminutive building. The sparse arrangement suggests a quiet, perhaps pastoral setting, inviting the viewer to consider the calm of an uninhabited or lightly inhabited space and the quiet passage of time across the land.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, Hassam applied greasy pencil marks to the stone surface, which remain visible beneath a soft grey wash. This approach yields a sketch‑like quality, where gestural lines convey the forms of trees and structures with immediacy, contrasting the controlled medium of printmaking with the spontaneity of drawing.
History & Provenance
Created toward the end of World War I, the print reflects Hassam’s continued exploration of tonal variation in his later career. It was produced in a limited edition typical of his lithographic work, and examples have appeared in several museum collections, illustrating the artist’s interest in atmospheric landscapes during this period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Frederick Childe Hassam (; October 17, 1859 – August 27, 1935) was an American Impressionist painter, noted for his urban and coastal scenes.
