A Life Cut Short Born in Chicago, United States, in 1876, Robert Hale lived a life that was as brief as it was focused. His presence in the American art scene was marked by a quiet intensity, a drive to capture the essence of the built environment through the delicate medium of watercolor. He died in 1901, leaving behind a body of work that offers a glimpse into the early development of an American painter whose career was interrupted before it could reach its full maturity. His time was spent navigating the transition of the turn of the century, a period of rapid change in the American lands…