Appledore Island, one of the Isles of Shoals located off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire, was the home of poet Celia Thaxter and attracted numerous artists and writers to its rocky shores during the late 19th century. Childe Hassam painted The Little Pond, Appledore during his first summer visit there. After several years of study in Europe, he applied the bright palette, broken brushwork, and dramatic light effects of Impressionist painting to American landscapes.