Artwork
Lafayette Street
Lafayette Street is a print by Childe Hassam. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1918, Childe Hassam’s lithotint titled “Lafayette Street” presents an aerial view of a bustling New York thoroughfare. Rendered entirely in black on wove paper, the print conveys the kinetic rhythm of the city through a dense arrangement of figures, vehicles and architectural forms, all unified by a restrained monochrome scheme.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a moment of urban activity: pedestrians stride, horse‑drawn and motorized traffic flow, and flags flutter above storefronts. By depicting the scene from an elevated angle, Hassam emphasizes the organized chaos of modern life, suggesting both the anonymity and the collective energy that defined early‑twentieth‑century Manhattan.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithotint, the work combines drawing‑like precision with the reproducibility of printmaking. Hassam employs fine lines, stippled dots and varied tonal washes to suggest depth and movement, while the overall loose handling of form mirrors his impressionistic interest in light and shadow rather than detailed representation.
History & Provenance
Hassam produced numerous views of the same New York blocks, often revisiting Lafayette Street to explore changing atmospheric effects. This 1918 print reflects his late‑career focus on urban subjects. It remains part of the artist’s printed oeuvre, documented in several museum collections and exhibition catalogues that trace his transition from oil painting to print media.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frederick Childe Hassam was an American Impressionist painter, noted for his urban and coastal scenes.
