Art Criticism Essay

Art Criticism Essay Childe Hassam colorfully painted “Allies Day, May 1917”. Hassam used mainly red, white, and blue oil paints on canvas to create this piece of art. This painting is of an abstract cityscape. Many tiny-looking people appear to be walking along the narrow city street under the array of bright flags. Childe Hassam strategically used color and shape to organize this work. The artist used unity, contrast, and balance to bring together the elements of art. The red, white, and blue colors that the artist uses throughout the work, as well as the repeating rectangular shape of a flag achieves unification in the painting. Not only does each flag pattern contrast the next, but also the two main colors used are a warm color, red, and a cool color, blue. The large building on the left, and the many flags on the right asymmetrically balance the painting. Hassam creates a feeling of oneness and working together between all the countries whose flags are hung in this New York street. The feeling that Hassam creates in a viewer of this painting is one of working together and unity. The many different flags that are hung in the street show that the people support the entire alliance of countries. Also, the fact that all these different flags are hung in the country that is farthest away from the other countries and the fighting shows that the citizens will continue to support the cause no matter what. The grand display of flags in New York was a response to the formation of the alliance between Britain, France, and America, welcoming foreign war commissioners to America. This painting particularly resonates with me because my great grandpa fought in WWI. I liked that the artist unified the painting and used that to promote the message he was trying to convey. The repeating flags that are flying in the street give a warm welcome to people from the foreign countries, and show support for the cause from the start. The repeating colors of red, white, and blue