Shinnecock Landscape 

William Merritt Chase created this landscape with oil on canvas, capturing a scene at Shinnecock, Long Island. The visible brushstrokes reveal his method, with thick applications of paint that give texture to the field and sky. Chase’s impressionistic technique, coupled with the materiality of oil paint, allowed him to capture the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere. Each dab of paint contributes to a sense of movement, as if the scene were caught mid-breeze. The layered brushwork and the rough texture of the canvas add a tactile dimension to the work, engaging the viewer's senses beyond mere visual observation. Landscape painting may seem far removed from the world of labour. However, artists like Chase helped to define leisure as a commodity. Tourism and recreation became increasingly visible expressions of class, tied up with the changing social fabric of the late 19th century.