Dorothy 

William Merritt Chase made this oil painting, "Dorothy," with brushes and oil paints on canvas. The way Chase applied the paint is incredibly expressive. Notice the thick, almost sculptural strokes, especially in the white dress. You can almost feel the texture of the fabric. Chase was part of a generation of artists who embraced the immediacy of the painted surface. The visibility of the brushwork was a deliberate choice, making the labor evident. The act of painting itself becomes part of the subject, moving away from the tradition of art attempting to perfectly mimic reality. Consider also the social context: oil paint was, and is, a commercially produced material. Its availability is tied to industrialization and global trade. Chase’s embrace of this medium, and his focus on the act of painting, reflect the changing relationship between artists, materials, and the marketplace. The visible brushstrokes, which draw attention to the artist's hand, serve as a reminder that painting is as much a process as a finished product.