The sun., 1916-10-29

! have some appreciation of his quality
as a teacher. l do not rate II as highly
as 1t was the fashion to rate 1t during
his days OF teaching. lie has probably
taught more actual art students than
any other American. yet his teaching
produced no great followers. lie vas
probably Just as enthusiastic about his
teaching as the late william NJ. Hunt,
but lacked his gift for picturesque and
fiery expression. As a teacher he had
no conception Of the necessity for aid
Ing the pupil to find his own particular
bent.
There was but n conceivable way
Of painting. and that was Mr.. Chase's
way. The pupils. whatever their own
character might he. had to assume, for
the nonce. Mr.. Chase's character. As
u consequence the system acted as "A
bait to all the weak characters In the
land and also to those who had no
characters at all. and while I am far
from holding that the instruction did
them harm. 1t Is clear that II did them
no permanent good.
lie taught % by example than by
preccpt. and indeed a favorite seance
Will wi. Nids was Nv Oltcl IttuI-
ring occasion when all the pupils left
their easels to watch the master him
self paint a hasty sketch from the
model. These sketches OF his were
often balloted for afterward by the
members OF the class. have seen a
number Of them that are still priced
by some Of Mr.. Chase's ex-pupils for
old associations sake. although II must
he confessed they do not number
among his best works.
In short, he had enthusiasm for
teaching. but no genius for II. In the
days OF his greatest following ! al
ways used to advise the young people
to study one year with him. but no
longer. In the state we were then In
no was an excellent preparatory
teacher. and all our teachers were pre-
paratory teachers. It must be rcmem-
cation was to DO completed at the Art
Students League.
One studied with Cox that one might
be fitted to study with Bouguereau or
Gerome In Paris. 1t was all for Paris.
of course. In spite Of Chase's deriva-
ton from Munich Din the early cata-
logues the designation always was,
William NJ. Chase. pupil Of Piloty)
there were few candidates for tho wan
derjahre In Germany, and Rome as a
place of instruction was ancient his
tory.
Fol- the pupil Just taking up the
brush. MIR. Chase was an excellent
loosener Of style. but that Is about as
far as II went. The tight. timid pupil
learned to squeeze great qualities OF
paint upon his palette and 10 slap II
upon canvases with n greater freedom
and less discretion than he would have
acquired in any other class then in
America. Freedom alone, however. Is
not the sum total Of an artists equip
ment.
But as to Mr.. Chase's connoisseur-
ship. no exceptions are to be made.
have always felt that insufficient Jus
tice had been done to II. Even at q
time when his own pictures were not
selling any too we'll. one heard OF him
as continually buying canvases by I'M
known young painters. l know the
were others, but memory recalls blu,
two examples. Jerome Myers and Err
nest Lawson. Mr.. Chase was among
the earliest patrons of these " me
and his purchases were not only dis
Greet. but served to call the attention
Of others to these beginners. Each Of
them connded to me at the time the
added confidence that Mr.. Chase's
recognition gave them.
The collections OF Mr.. Chase that
we're dispersed by auction have always
given me singular pleasure, because
each picture had been a genuine pur-
chase upon his part. chosen because
something In the work responde" "a
his own outlook upon nature. The
signed to his purchases were
sometimes obscure and there was an