Hollyhocks is a particularly captivating example of Philip Leslie Hale's decorative Impressionism. Depicting healthy, sun-drenched young women engaged in genteel leisure activities outdoors, Hale, a well-known Boston painter, art critic, and unofficial spokesman for the Boston School, was drawn, as were many of his peers, to this theme and style. Hale's approach to this subject, however, varied rather dramatically throughout his career.