The Orangerie 1909

William Merritt Chase created this oil painting called The Orangerie, and what strikes me is how the scene seems to have bloomed directly from the canvas. The Orangerie has a garden, bathed in the warm light of what must be late afternoon, right? I imagine Chase outside, squinting into the light, dabbing and stippling the paint to catch those effects. You see that big tree to the left? It kind of anchors the whole scene, doesn't it? Notice how the greens are layered – this kind of olivey shade against the bright, almost neon-like grass. There is an incredible conversation happening here between light and form. It reminds me of Monet, but Chase has a looser, more casual feel. Like he's not trying to capture every detail, but more the impression of being in this place, at this moment. Painters, we’re all in this conversation together, right? Trying to figure out how to make sense of the world, one brushstroke at a time.