The portrait painting Keying Up—The Court Jester earned international recognition for William Merritt Chase after winning a medal at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. An influential figure in American Impressionism, he balanced a prolific career as a painter with extensive work as an educator, shaping the techniques of multiple generations of artists across the United States.
Early Development and European Training
Born in 1849 in Nineveh, Indiana, Chase initially pursued various paths before committing to art. After brief periods of study in New York and service in the Navy, he secured funding from St. Louis collectors to study abroad. He enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he refined a loosely brushed style while befriending fellow American artists such as Frank Duveneck and Walter Shirlaw. These European experiences proved foundational to his later work in the United States.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Studio Life and Professional Success
Returning to America in 1878, Chase established a studio in the Tenth Street Studio Building in New York City. He became known for his distinctive personal style and his elaborate studio environment, which he filled with exotic musical instruments, decorative objects, and stuffed birds. This space served as a hub for cultural figures and peers, including Augustus Saint Gaudens and Winslow Homer. During this period, he maintained a busy household with his wife, Alice Gerson, with whom he had eight children.
Pedagogical Impact
Chase dedicated significant portions of his career to instruction, most notably at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he influenced numerous painters including Georgia O'Keeffe and Edward Charles Volkert. In 1891, he founded the Shinnecock Hills Summer School of Art on Long Island, promoting plein air techniques. He also founded his own school, later known as the New York School of Art, and taught at the Art Students League, cementing his status as a central figure in American art education.
Fast facts
- Born: 1849, Nineveh
- Died: 1916, New York City
- Primary Movement: Impressionism
- Education: Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
- Notable Work: Still Life with Watermelon
- Professional Membership: American Academy of Arts and Letters
- Burial Site: Green-Wood Cemetery
- Primary Occupations: Painter, photographer
Questions readers ask
Where did William Merritt Chase teach?
He taught at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Art Students League, the Brooklyn Art Association, and founded the Shinnecock Hills Summer School of Art and the school that became the Parsons School of Design.
What artistic style is Chase associated with?
He is primarily identified as an exponent of Impressionism, having developed his technique through study in Munich and exposure to European artistic trends.
Achievements
- Notable work: Still Life with Watermelon
- Movement: Impressionism
