William Merritt Chase

(1849-1916)

Still Life 31 1/4 x 25 1/8in (79.4 x 63.8cm)

Footnotes

Provenance
Scott & Fowles, New York.
Oscar Butler Perry, San Francisco, California, acquired from the above, by 1932.
Anlo (neé Marquez) Perry, San Francisco, California, wife of the above, by descent, 1945.
By descent to the late owner, daughter of the above, 1981.

Literature
R.G. Pisano, Photographs from the William Merritt Chase Archives at The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, New York, 1992, p. 116, no. 595 91.RGP/PS.25.
R.G. Pisano, William Merritt Chase: Still Lifes, Interiors, Figures, Copies of Old Masters, and Drawings, New Haven, Connecticut, 2010, vol. 4, p. 30, no. SL.60, illustrated.

The present work is included in Ronald G. Pisano's The Completed Catalogue of Known and Documented Work by William Merritt Chase (1849-1916) as no. SL.60 and is also included in Photographs from the William Merritt Chase Archives at The Parrish Art Museum as no. 595 91.RGP/PS.25. The work is accompanied by the original Art Research Report issued by Ronald G. Pisano, Inc. and signed by D. Frederick Baker, dated March 29, 2021.

In 1902, William Merritt Chase conducted the final class of his famous Shinnecock Summer School of Art, just west of Southampton, Long Island, New York and is where the present work is believed to have been painted. Samovar style vessels are seen in other still life paintings by Chase, such as Still Life with Samovar (Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.) and the sliced melon is a recurring motif repeated in others, like Still Life (Still Life with Jar and Cut Melon) (George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield, Massachusetts). During his classes, he would often present his demonstration pieces to students for meritorious work.