A North East Headland

A North East Headland, now at the National Gallery of Art, depicts one of the rocky promontories of the Isles of Shoals where the Atlantic makes its most dramatic impact on the granite coast. The northeastern exposure of the islands received the full force of ocean swells, and Hassam was drawn to the contrast between the rough geological permanence of the headlands and the constant movement of the sea around them. This 1901 canvas belongs to his most sustained engagement with the Shoals' natural character after the intimate flower garden subjects that had preoccupied him during Celia Thaxter's lifetime.

The rocky headland is built up in solid, heavy strokes that establish the geological mass of the granite, contrasting with the flickering, lighter treatment of the surrounding water and sky. Hassam uses the warm ochres and pinks of the rock against the blue-green sea to create the complementary color dynamic that energizes his best coastal paintings.