Villa In Florence c. 1909

William Merritt Chase gave us this view of a Villa In Florence in oil on canvas. Look at the way he built up the image, one short, soft stroke at a time, like he's knitting the scene together. It's all about process. The colors are muted, mostly greens and blues and creams, but the texture is lively. You can see the marks of the brush everywhere, little dabs and dashes that create a sense of movement and light. Take a look at the way the light falls on the pathway, how the blues and lavenders shimmer in the shadows. It's like Chase is trying to capture not just what he sees, but how it feels to be there, soaking up the sun in Italy. It reminds me of some of Corot’s landscapes, full of atmosphere and feeling, and just like Corot, Chase shows us that painting is really about seeing.