Still Life with Fish 1908

William Merritt Chase made this still life with fish, using oil paint, likely sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Look at the brushstrokes – they're so visible, almost like he's sculpting with the paint. That’s process right there, laid bare for us to see. The dark background makes the silvery fish glisten, almost jump out at you. See the thick impasto on the fish, how it catches the light? It’s not just about representing fish; it’s about the materiality of paint, its textures and colors. And that splash of red near the white fish really zings! It’s like Chase is saying, hey, this isn't just about what you see, but how you see. This interest in the visceral qualities of paint, also remind me of Courbet, another painter who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Art isn’t just about pretty pictures; it’s a conversation, a back-and-forth between artists and ideas across time.