William Merritt Chase

Provenance: J. J. Haverty, NY 1972, lot 162
Doyle Auction House, NY 2018, Lot 10

In this oil painting, William Merritt Chase paints a picture of his daughter in a kimono. His exceptional modeling skills are prevalent in this piece, especially on the face. The value and shadow gradations in the piece are so strong that the portrait is reminiscent of a 3-dimensional sculpture. The bright reds and warm tones in the modeled face are expertly mixed and applied.

William Merritt Chase trained with Barton S. Hayes in Indianapolis, and going abroad to the Royal Academy in Munich. His brushwork and use of light were similar to the French Impressionists, and his style of visual modeling was particularly influenced by Eduoard Manet. After he finished his studies Chase traveled to New York City and began teaching as part of the Art Students League, quickly becoming a renowned teacher. He incorporated Impressionist techniques along with his more traditional European education to create unique images imbued with the valued urbanization and expansion of New York City. Later in his life, Chase established the Chase School, which eventually was renamed the Parsons School of Design.