Nude c. 1901

William Merritt Chase made this painting, "Nude," with oil, and it looks like a fast, loose process. It’s got these juicy brushstrokes of warm browns creating a backdrop, framing the figure and check out how that orange just pops at the bottom! You can almost feel the energy of Chase’s hand as he swiped the paint across the canvas. It’s like he’s not trying to hide anything, letting the process be visible. It’s so immediate and fresh. And that little curve of the back, the way the light hits it - so soft and tender. It’s like he’s capturing a fleeting moment, a glimpse of something intimate and real. The way he handles the paint reminds me a little of Manet; this idea of painting being about the act of painting itself, not just about representation. Letting the brushstrokes be, letting the messiness become part of the beauty.