The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-14
71ePIeB eSoyd THE NEWS SCIMITAR TNPn5EcBeSmd
Memphis Association
Bugs q Chase Picture.

At a recent meeting Of the executive
board Of the Art association those pres
ent voted to buy one of the paintings
by VIM. NJ. Chase now on display at
the Art gallery in Overton park. The
Portrait Of himself was selected as the
best suited for the Art association
TO OWN on account of the artists CON
nection with the Art gallery. He was
a member of the jury to judge the
serving with Miss Cecilia Beaux and
Miss Kate Carl. The portrait is a work
OF art and also n that pleases his
friends in a wonderful portrayal Of
character, also representing one of the
best known artists this country has
ever known,
William Merritt Chase was born in
williamsburg Franklin county, Ind,
Nov. l, 1S49, living there until he was
IL years of age. Art taste at that
time was at a very low ebb, so there
was not much to be had in the way
OF art training in this little Western
town. Later the family moved to In
annapolis. His father was interested
IN a shoe shop. but young Chase was
never able to throw his heart into the
shoe business, spending a great deal
OF the tim at an art dealers across
the street. His father saw there was
no use trying to force his interest
and finally gave in to his desire to
join the navy. No doubt this desire
10 De a sailor was the Unborn impulse
TO know the ocean, with all its mystery
and romance, and the natural desire
Tor adventure. He soon became tired
OF this and returned to his fathers
shop, After a time it became evident
tnat chase was not going to give up
ms art. He at various times persuaded
ms family to pose for hin. At last
his fl1har anncnntA1 20 1Af E9-n AoI-o
lessons from an artist by the name of
Benjamin Hayes, and in 1869 he went
TO New York to study with ]. o. Eaton.
Al this time we had the darkness of
the Victorian age in art. Some of the
dusseldorf school were to be seen in
the shop windows, put as a rule it was
the artists of the Hudson River school
that one saw. William Hunt had &C
quainted Boston with some of the Bar
bizon painters, but Boston and New
York were far apart in those days and
1t Is not certain that even Boston took
In what these artists were teaching at
that time. George Fuller was one of
the few Americans to work out his
own salvation, but n~onrecognition of
his talent discouraged him into tempo
rary retirement. The Dusseldorf school
had its influence in this country even
before the French After four years
OF study with Eaton, Chase went to
Munich. Student life there was more
sober. When asked about his choice
between Paris and Munich he would
say: The best place to study is any
where. l went to Munich instead of
Paris because | could saw wood in Mu-
MICH" This is his frank statement even
before the war. He evidently did not
regard the school as a better one thar
Paris. Chase's interest In music was
only ordinary. 1t was about this time
the Wagnerian opera was put on, but
It made little impression on him. In
1875 he painted a portrait of Duveneck
in Munich, where he had a studio at
that time. He and Duveneck were
devoted friends all through their pro-
fessional life. They must have had a
lot In common, as they were both in
terested in art for arts sake, teaching
always to portray the truth seen in
nature and life in general. Both men
kept their same point of view straight
through the years of new thought IN
art, with all Of its lists and isms, be-
lieving in the advancement of art and
in any new thought that would add
to the beauty in the study Of nature
and all of her various charms, but
never in favor of a movement that
ignored the Importance of close study
of anatomy and the beauty Of graceful
design. He did not encourage the overly
brilliant coloring, saying he could not
see the awful reds, blues inc yellows
seen by some of the modern painters.
When he first took his stand there
was a lot said and written, saying he
was old-fashioned and was not up to
seeing the good in this new art. One
group of artists went on the theory
that in ten years time we would be
able, to appreciate their ideas" etc.
Even before Chase's death this new
thought was a thing Of the past, and
where art has made many advances,
this revolution has subsidized and the
artists themselves have realized that
conditions adjust themselves and only
the best will live in art, as in every
thing else.
The value Of what Chase taught his
pupils will show in this generation OF
artists. What he found to be true in
his many years Of study will be worked
the top and Is known as the dean Of
American art. He is represented II
all Of the prominent art galleries 81
this country, having been awarded a
medals at various associations n e
positions.
During his life he took part in tn,
most important time in the history Of
American art. He helped to gain q
standard and saw our country recog,
nized as having its national art. Today
we have an art 'all our own a stamI
that is American beyond a doubt, ane
it was made possible through a lonl
standards and ideals. All at once WI
produced an art equal to any Other
country. and this was due to the teach
ings of a group of men in our ar
schools headed by Chase.
Mr.. Chase lived to be 10 years o.