Childe Hassam

American impressionist painter Childe Hassam was an avid draftsman and watercolorist from a very early age. In 1883 he traveled to Europe for the first time, where he was influenced primarily by the British landscape painter William Turner (1775-1851). Hassam studied from 1886-89 in Paris at the Académie Julian after earning his reputation in 1882-86 in Boston. After returning to the USA he continued his studies in Boston. He was later noted for his urban and coastal scenes and landscape paintings. He produced over 3,000 paintings, watercolors, etchings, and lithographs in his career. His landscapes, street scenes, and interior scenes were both popularly and officially recognized, painting numerous scenes of both the city and the countryside. Many of his early street scenes of Boston, Paris, and New York demonstrated a talent for capturing the effects of light and atmosphere.

Hassam’s work, The Water Hazard, Maidstone Links, Easthampton L. I., a painting in oil on canvas measuring 71.8 x 115.6 cm, was created in 1923. Maidstone Links is a golf club in East Hampton on Long Island, New York. It is included in the list of the 100 best courses in the world and considered one of the most exclusive private clubs. The course was laid out in 1894 initially with 7 holes and expanded to 18 holes in 1899. Hassam produced several paintings with views of the course.