A delicate graphite study of the Church of the Transfiguration in New York City, captured by American Impressionist Childe Hassam in 1923.

This graphite study by Childe Hassam depicts the Church of the Transfiguration in New York City, colloquially known as The Little Church Around the Corner. Dated 31 January 1923, the work captures the architectural character of the site with the characteristic fluidity of Hassam's draftsmanship. The artist employs light, gestural strokes to define the Gothic Revival features of the church, including its pointed arches and tower, while maintaining a sense of the surrounding urban environment.

Hassam, a central figure in American Impressionism, often turned his attention to the streets of New York during his later career. Unlike his more finished oil paintings, this sketch reveals the observational process behind his compositions. The lines are economical, focusing on the interplay between the verticality of the church structure and the bare branches of the trees in the foreground. The inclusion of small, sketched figures provides a sense of scale and human presence, grounding the ecclesiastical architecture within the daily life of the city.

The composition balances the solid forms of the church with the open, airy quality of the paper. Hassam uses varying pressure to suggest depth, allowing the background buildings to recede while keeping the church facade in focus. This piece offers a view into the artist's working method, demonstrating his ability to translate complex urban scenes into concise visual notes. It is a document of a specific moment in New York history, rendered with the sensitivity to light and atmosphere that defined Hassam's career. The work remains a fine example of early twentieth-century American drawing, showing how the artist observed the changing character of the city through a traditional medium.