William Merritt Chase
American
William Merritt Chase was a portrait painter at the forefront of fashion, catering to upper-class tastes in New York. Despite his well-known bohemianism, Chase exemplified a conservative style. When painting portraits, Chase often employed the dark palette he learned at the Royal Academy in Munich, Germany. When painting landscapes, however, Chase called upon the bright and colorful impressionist style pioneered earlier by Claude Monet and other French artists, moving between techniques at will.
Born
1849
Died
1916
What surprises you about this artist’s studio?
According to art critics, Chase’s New York studio resembled a museum. Inspired by the Aesthetic movement, Chase decorated it with an extensive collection of antiques, including the Chinese bronze, Italian Renaissance chest, Spanish religious wall hanging, Turkish coffee urn, and German clock depicted here. These objects reflected the taste for opulence and exoticism during the Gilded Age, an era of increasing international tourism and trade in antiques.
Medium
Oil on canvas
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd
Item ID
1979.7.29
Dimensions
24 1/8 x 36 in. (61.3 x 91.4 cm)
Date
ca. 1895
Country
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Artist name
William Merritt Chase
Artwork location