Tip: move over the painting to use the lens.
A City Park
William Merritt Chase · c. 1887
- Artist
- William Merritt Chase (American, 1849–1916)
- Date
- c. 1887
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Size
- 34.6 × 49.9 cm (13 5/8 × 19 5/8 in.)
- Made in
- New York City
- Style
- Impressionism
- Where to see it
- Art Institute of Chicago
Bequest of Dr. John J. Ireland · CC0 Public Domain · Art Institute of Chicago · image via Wikimedia Commons · see it at the museum ↗
Notes from the museum
In the late 1880s, William Merritt Chase painted a series of works focused on the public parks of Brooklyn and Manhattan, including A City Park . Amid rapid growth in New York and other US cities, such green spaces offered respite as well as novel venues for social activity. Inspired by the works of French Impressionism, Chase experimented with dramatic spatial effects, open brushwork, and a high-keyed palette. The composition’s small scale suggests that the artist painted the canvas outdoors, opting for portable materials to work on-site in an urban setting.
Text: Art Institute of Chicago (open access). Our full story for this work is coming soon.
Slow Look
- The whole picture Let your eyes wander. Where do they want to rest?
- The light Find the brightest spot. What is it showing you?
- The edges Look at what is half cut off at the borders.
- One small detail Choose one tiny thing and stay with it for a while.
- The whole picture again Step back. Has it changed for you?
About William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase was an American painter, known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later became the Parsons School of Design.
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