Childe Hassam (1859-1935) - The Robinson House, Havana 1895

Childe Hassam (1859-1935) remains an eminent figure among American painters and printmakers. During the period from 1886 to 1889, he immersed himself in the artistic excitement of France, perfecting his skills at the Académie Julian in Paris while undergoing the significant influence of impressionist painters, particularly that of Claude Monet.

In January 1895, the artist embarked on a trip to Cuba in the company of Frank Robinson, a coal merchant and long-time friend, as H. Barbara Weinberg wrote in Childe Hassam: American Impressionist, published in 2004. Their destination is Havana, where the painter settles for more than a month. During this fruitful period, he produced three memorable canvases, each capturing striking bird's-eye views of the city's squares, notably the Central Square.

Our work, imbued with a more intimate atmosphere of Havana, is probably the result of contemplation from the heights of a window within Mr. Robinson's home. Childe Hassam, in his artistic quest, frequently expresses his affection for the representation of a mother guiding her child by the hand. This tender maternal representation also finds echo in our canvas.

The stark visual contrast between two opposing buildings – a sturdy building and a humble cabin – accentuates the social disparities of the time. It highlights the dichotomy between the working class, symbolized by the silhouette of a servant hanging laundry in the background, and the dominant bourgeois class.