The Church Across the Way. 1916. Etching. Cortissoz, Clayton 66. 8 1/4 x 4 3/8 (sheet 10 1/16 x 6 1/8). A fine impression with carefully-wiped plate tone printed on whitelaid paper with a '6' partial countermark. With the usual drying tack holes in the margins. Annotated 'New York C.H. 1916'in the plate; signed with the cypher in pencil. The etching is extremely scarce. Housed in a period
18 x 14-inch gold leaf frame.
The subject is Cavalry Baptist Church on 57th Street. The etching was drawn from Hassam's studio window in January 1916.
Hassam is tonal, occupied with the same problems as in his painting,” the interplay of atmosphere, sunlight, shadow. He may be placed in the small list of impressionist etchers, of whom are Pissarro and Cezanne. But that won't do if it is supposed to imply similarity of handling. Hassam is himself. Beside street scenes, such as "Broad and Wall Streets," Hassam has lingered lovingly over individual buildings, such as Calvary Church in snow, St Mark's in the Bouwerie in "mist and rain," and "The Church across the Way," a bit of architecture and snow, and an intriguing composition brought about through viewpoint from above. Frank Weitkampf. "New York City in Graphic Art". The Print Connoisseur vol. 1 (1921): 80.
Additional works by Frederic Childe Hassam, N.A. are available on the Allinson Gallery, Inc. website.
