Portrait of Martha Walter 1908

William Merritt Chase dashed off this portrait of Martha Walter with oil on canvas, and look at the speed! The brushwork is all over the place, loose and free, like a sketch that got dressed up for a party. It’s like he’s saying, "Here’s a person, but also, here’s paint." The face is where it’s at, right? All that pink! Not realistic, but who cares? It’s alive. Then your eye wanders to the collar, and it dissolves into a mess of whites and grays. There's a conversation happening between detail and blur. It's like Chase wants us to see how painting itself sees the world: not as fixed, but as a process. I’m reminded of Manet, especially his quick, confident strokes. Both artists embrace the mess, and that's where the beauty is.