William Merritt Chase and Young Girl with Flowers

'Young Girl with Flowers' (1885) by William Merritt Chase; Palacio Real, Madrid

When you google the paintings of American Impressionist artist William Merritt Chase, born on 1 November 1849 and died on 25 October 1916, you see still lifes, women portraits, women set in landscapes and lush interiors, some paintings of men and children. It is his portraits that he is best known for. I didn't know him before doing this blog, but I have come across his name and paintings so often now that it only feels natural to dedicate a post to him, also because I like his work. He studied art in New York, but it was at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich where he received his most decisive training. When he returned to New York, he began teaching. He had adopted the plein air method of painting and often taught his students in outdoor classes. He devoted much of his time and energy to teaching and even opened the Chase School of Art in 1896. Two years later it became the New York School of Art. Chase was the most important art teacher around the turn of the 20th century. Many well-known American artists like Georgia O'Keeffe have studied under Chase. For today I have chosen a beautiful portrait of a young girl with flowers. I love the dark background and the contrasting red and green and multiple colours of the bouquet. There's no particular reason why I have chosen this painting when there are so many other paintings that I like and could have chosen. I will provide you with a link, click here, so you can see his other paintings as well. Enjoy!