William Merritt Chase (1849-1916)

The present work is similar to many portrait studies painted by William Merritt Chase at the Munich Royal Academy, Germany, where he was enrolled as a student between 1872 and 1877. Ron Pisano writes, "Many of the works from this period display the slapdash brushwork taught at the academy in Munich...but Chase also was developing his own style, which incorporated fine, exquisite modeling and subtle gesture...It set the stage for his move back to the United States as a promising artist of recognized talent." (William Merritt Chase, Portraits in Oil, New Haven, Connecticut, 2006, p. 1)

The work is included in Ronald G. Pisano's The Complete Catalogue of Known and Documented Work by William Merritt Chase (1849-1916), addendum file, No. OPAA.613 (Kellen Archives, Parsons New School, New York) and is accompanied with a letter from Mr. D. Frederick Baker.