Frederick Childe Hassam (1859-1935) was a pioneer American impressionist painter whose work always retained a definitely native flavor.

Childe Hassam was born in Dorchester, Mass., on Oct. 17, 1859. He was early interested in art, and instead of going to college he went to work in a wood engraver's shop in Boston. Those were the great days of American illustration, and soon his work appeared in all kinds of magazines. During the evenings he drew nudes at the Boston Arts Club, and on weekends he worked outdoors with landscape painters. He soon had his own studio and his own students.

In 1883 Hassam went to Europe for a year. On his return he married a childhood friend, Kathleen Maude Doane. The couple moved to Paris for 3 years, where Hassam earned a good living doing magazine illustrations and painting pictures which he sent home to dealers. His early Paris street scenes are...