End of the season Sun 1884

William Merritt Chase created "End of the Season Sun" with pastel on paper. Initially, the composition presents a melancholic tableau of a beach at the close of summer, defined by a palette of muted blues, grays, and earthy greens, capturing a sense of desolation. Chase masterfully arranges a series of overturned tables and chairs, setting a rhythmic pattern that leads the eye towards the horizon, where the sea meets the sky. Note how these arrangements act as semiotic markers of abandonment and transition, evoking Roland Barthes' concept of the 'punctum' – a piercing detail that disrupts the viewer and creates a moment of contemplation. The seated woman is seen from behind, adding to the sense of anonymity, while the perspective and composition draws us in to a shared experience of absence and reflection. Chase's use of pastels gives the image an ethereal quality. This invites us to consider how the artwork destabilizes established meanings, values, or categories. The composition functions not just aesthetically but also as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse.