William Merritt Chase

William Merritt Chase prints bring the sunny dunes of Long Island, the parks of New York and elegant late-19th-century interiors into your home. Chase was an American Impressionist painter and one of the most influential art teachers in American history. Our collection of fine art prints covers his portraits of family and friends, Shinnecock Hills landscapes, New York park scenes, studio interiors and still lifes of fish and brass.

About William Merritt Chase

William Merritt Chase was born on 1 November 1849 in Williamsburg (now Nineveh), Indiana, and grew up in Indianapolis, where he studied with local self-taught painters. After a brief spell in the navy he went to New York in 1869 and enrolled at the National Academy of Design. When his family's fortunes declined he moved to St. Louis, where local collectors paid for him to study in Europe in exchange for paintings.

At the Munich Academy he studied under Alexander von Wagner and Karl von Piloty and befriended Frank Duveneck and other Americans. His painting "Keying Up" – The Court Jester won a medal at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and made his name. After a trip to Venice with Duveneck and John Henry Twachtman he returned to New York in 1878 and took a studio in the Tenth Street Studio Building, which he filled with carpets, furniture, stuffed birds and instruments, making it a famous gathering place.

He married Alice Gerson in 1887 and they had eight children, who often appear in his paintings. Chase was also a tireless teacher. He ran the Shinnecock Hills Summer School of Art on Long Island from 1891 to 1902, teaching outdoors, opened the Chase School of Art in 1896 (later Parsons School of Design), and taught at the Art Students League and the Pennsylvania Academy. His pupils included Georgia O'Keeffe, George Bellows, Charles Demuth, Marsden Hartley and Joseph Stella. He died in New York on 25 October 1916.

Style and Subjects

Chase painted in a fluent, confident manner, first in the dark, loose style he learned in Munich and later in the lighter palette of Impressionism. He worked in oil, pastel, watercolour and etching. Critics praised his sense of colour, from subtle flesh tones to bold scarlet.

His subjects range widely: portraits of artists, dancers and society figures; his wife and children at home or on the beach; sunny views of New York's parks; breezy Shinnecock landscapes painted outdoors; and still lifes of fish and gleaming brass and copper.

Famous Works

• Portrait of Dora Wheeler (1882), Cleveland Museum of Art. His early pupil and friend, seated before a golden hanging.
• The Young Orphan (1884), National Academy of Design, New York. A quiet portrait of a girl in black.
• Mrs. Chase in Prospect Park (1886), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. His wife seated in the Brooklyn park, one of his early outdoor scenes.
• Lady in Black (1888), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. A full-length portrait in a dark gown.
• At the Seaside (1890), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Women and children relaxing on the sand under parasols.
• Carmencita (1890), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The famous Spanish dancer mid-performance.
• Idle Hours (1894), Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth. His family resting in the dunes at Shinnecock.
• A Friendly Call (1895). Two women talking in his elegant summer-house parlour.

Decorating with Chase Prints

Chase's Shinnecock landscapes, such as Shinnecock Hills, bring light and space to a living room, sunroom or beach house, with their pale sands, blue skies and summer greens. The family scenes like Idle Hours suit a bedroom or family room.

His portraits and interiors work in a formal living room or hallway, and the fish and brass still lifes, like The Big Brass Bowl, are classic choices for a kitchen or dining room.

FAQ

What art movement was William Merritt Chase part of?

Chase was a leading American Impressionist. He trained in Munich and his early work is darker, but he later painted brighter outdoor scenes in an Impressionist style.

What is William Merritt Chase's most famous painting?

Well-known works include "Keying Up" – The Court Jester, which won a medal in 1876, A Friendly Call (1895), At the Seaside (1890) and his Shinnecock Hills landscapes.

Who did William Merritt Chase teach?

He taught many students, including Georgia O'Keeffe, Charles Demuth, Marsden Hartley, Joseph Stella and George Bellows. He founded the school that became Parsons School of Design.

What was the Shinnecock Hills Summer School?

It was an outdoor painting school on eastern Long Island that Chase ran from 1891 to 1902. He taught students to paint directly from nature, and painted many of his best landscapes there.

Related Artists

• Frank Duveneck: friend from his Munich student days who travelled with him to Venice
• John Henry Twachtman: fellow American who joined him in Venice in 1877
• Robert Henri: rival teacher in New York at the turn of the century
• Charles Demuth: one of his many students
• Childe Hassam: leading American Impressionist of the same generation