Irving Ramsay Wiles

Irving Ramsay Wiles studied violin before switching to painting, and music remained central to his life and work. He began his formal study at the Art Students League in New York under William Merritt Chase, who became his mentor. In the winter of 1882, Wiles worked in the Tenth Street Studio Building, where Chase kept his famous studio. The two became close friends, and Wiles faithfully upheld Chase’s teachings for the rest of his career.