The sun., 1916-10-26
WILLIAM N. CHASE,
MASTER ARTIST, DIES
Did More Than Any One to
Bring Recognition to Amer
ican Painters.
MANY HONORS ABROAD
His Works in Great Foreign
Galleries-Bcgan as .
Poor Boy.

william Merritt Chase. foremost
nnong American artists In this ountry
to-day and one Of the handful of men
who brought about the development OF
American art to its present important
position throughout tho world. died yes
terday afternoon At his home. 234 East
Fifteenth street.
He had been i'll for months, most Of
the time confined to his bed, and al
though his family kept the seriousness Of
his condition as secret As they could. Il
was understood for some time among
his friends that the aged painter could
not live long.
Mr.. Chase would have celebrated his
sixty-seventh birthday next Wednesday
had he lived. He passed through . time
when Americans were looked upon solely
a. people who bought works Of art. but
could not create them to the time when
American canvases held their own In the
galleries and salons abroad. And II was
largely through his own work. both as
painter and teacher. that this change
was brought about.
Perhaps . majority Of the American
artists whose work IL ranked high to-day
have passed under his tutelage. He him
self in recent days used to tell OF tho
time when he was hrt recognized by the
public. when prominent dealers begged
him to go abroad and do his painting
there. offering to pay him twice the
money they were willing TO give for his
canvaees turned out from his studio on
Fifth avenue.
started Life Poor.
Mr.. Chase's career Is typical Of the one
that 10 expected to be told Of great
artists. He started life poor-the son
Of a retail merchant in Franklin. Ind,
ton and wanted TO put him into bus'-
ness. But he used the wrapping paper
Of his fathers store for hts sketches un-
I'll he wAs able to get instruction from
b. r. Haynes. an Indianapolis artist.
The latter soon told Chase's father that
ne had taught the boy all no could learn
In that city. and urged him to sAtd
young Chase to New York.
This was done in 1869 u for two
years Chase studied under J. O. Eaton
and In the National Academy OF Design.
When his father failed in business the
boy went TO 81. Louis and opened q
studio. whore he eked out the family ex-
penses with still life pictures. 1t seemed
As though his career was at . stand-
still. but q group Of wealthy men o
notice Of him. made up a purse and sent
him to the Royal Academy in Munich.
In his eight years at that school
Chase won first medals In all six OF the
depa rtments. His money ran out and
he scraped along by pot work. He went
hungry often, and he wore out the soles
Of his shoes toting hts anvas from
one dealer to another. only TO have them
refused.
HE work Recognisea.
The tide Of his fortune set In. however.
when Carl Won Piloty. director Of the
Royal Academy. commissioned him 10
paint portraits OF the directors I'VE chill
dren, Immediately the dealers began
clamoring for his work. -
When he returned to The United States
In 1873 he had Earned a reputation
abroad that he soon Increased In his ma
tive country. From that time on. al
though he was an inveterate traveller,
his home was In this city. He main
tanned not one but a number Of studios
from ThIrty-fourth TO Fifteenth street.
for IL was one OF his eccentricities to be-
l!eve that It rested lam to move from
one to another.
Thu nrst considerable collection OF his
works to be exhibited was at the Boston
Art Club galleries In 1855. but there
have been few noteworthy showings
since 1878 that have not included some
work from his brush.
He has been honored a. only two or
three other American artists have been.
TIT achievement of which he was proud
est was the request OF the Ufisi Gallery
In Florence in 1909 to add his portrait
to the collection there OF distinguished
artists. This collection OF self portraits
by the masters OF the world contains the
ukenesees Of only two other Americans
John Sargent and G. p. A. Healey,
ord ,he latter through an error has been
listed as an Ensl'shmsn.
Hsnorea By Nations.
He got the Grand Order Of St
Michael from the Prince Regent OF Ba-
| yaria in 1908, the fourth American to
be 80 rewarded for distinguished work.
The others are Whistler. Sargent and
Edwin Abbey. In 1881 he hrst received
honorable mention at the Paris salon
for his picture OF The Smoker" after
which he took honor after honor abroad
and in This country until In 1900 he was
awarded the gold medal at the Paris
Exposition. In 1890 he was elected to
the National Academy.
1t is doubtful II ne did greater work
as Q painter h as q master OF paint
ers. He began his career a. a teacher
| when he returned 70 New York In 1878.
by taking . post At the Art students'
League.
The salary was small n the num-
Der Of pupils far less than II 10 to-day.
He also taught for q In tho Brook
iyn Art School and In his " studios
Al Tenth street and in the Shinnecock
Hills OF Long Island. When he rave up
his own school, after dissensions among
| his associates. his priceless collection OF
studio decorations. collected from all
parts OF the world. was sole at auction