This series remains Hassam’s most sought-after subject and stands among the defining achievements of American Impressionism. As art historian William H. Gerdts observes, Hassam had long been identified with an essential “Americanness,” but in these paintings “he was able to give the modern cityscape patriotic and spiritual resonance. This pictorial sequence constitutes one of the greatest achievements of American art.” [1] Avenue of the Allies embodies this synthesis of national identity, democratic ideals, and modern urban spectacle.

On November 15, 1918—just days after the Armistice—a major group of the flag paintings, including the present work, was exhibited at the New York gallery of the French dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, and later at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1922. Although Hassam initially hoped to sell the series intact, the works were ultimately dispersed. Many now reside in distinguished museum and private collections, among them the New-York Historical Society; the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth; the White House; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

[1] William H. Gerdts, “For God and Country,” Childe Hassam: Impressionist, New York: Abbeville Press, 1999, p. 222