plate no. 2569
In the Park, Paris
William Merritt Chase, 1889
recreation guide
William Merritt Chase’s 'In the Park, Paris' (1889) is a quintessential example of American Impressionism, characterized by its loose, energetic brushwork and vibrant handling of light. As an exponent of Impressionism and a teacher who established the Chase School, Chase was known for painting directly from life with a rapidly burgeoning talent, often employing a loosely brushed style popular with his instructors in Munich (Source 7). The work falls under the genre of genre painting, which depicts aspects of everyday life and ordinary people engaged in common activities, distinguishing it from history paintings or formal portraits (Source 2). The distinctive quality of this artwork lies in its application of color theory, specifically the laws of contrast and harmony. Chase’s approach likely involves perceiving and imitating the modifications of light on the model promptly, rather than relying on studio conventions (Source 1). The painting utilizes the principle of simultaneous contrast, where colors appear modified by their neighbors, creating a harmonious yet dynamic visual experience (Source 1, Source 3). The composition relies on the organization of visual elements such as line, shape, and value to create a sense of space and form, typical of the period's move toward capturing fleeting moments of daily life (Source 6, Source 4).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow, Cobalt Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Umber, etc.) | Primary medium for Impressionist technique | — |
| Canvas (linen or cotton) | Support for oil painting | — |
| Brushes (flat and filbert, various sizes) | Applying loose, visible brushstrokes | — |
| Palette knife | Mixing colors and applying thick impasto if desired | — |
| Solvent (turpentine or odorless mineral spirits) | Thinning paint for underpainting and cleaning brushes | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium for glazing and increasing paint flow | — |
preparation
surface prep
Prime the canvas with a white or light-toned gesso ground. Impressionist painters often preferred lighter grounds to help reflect light and maintain the brightness of the palette, facilitating the rapid perception of light modifications (Source 1). Chase’s Munich training involved figurative works painted in a loosely brushed style, suggesting a prepared surface that allows for direct application without excessive smoothing (Source 7).
underdrawing
Chase likely employed minimal underdrawing, consistent with the Impressionist practice of painting directly from life to capture fleeting light effects. The sources indicate that Chase painted in a 'loosely brushed style' (Source 7), which suggests that precise linear underdrawing was not a primary feature. Instead, the composition may have been blocked in with broad strokes of color to establish value and form immediately.
underpainting
Apply a thin, monochromatic or limited-color underpainting (grisaille or imprimatura) to establish the basic values and composition. This step helps in harmonizing the colors of the composition which are essentially inherent to the nature of the objects to be produced (Source 1). The underpainting should be kept loose to allow for the subsequent application of vibrant, contrasting colors.
color palette
White
Titanium White or Lead White (historical)
Highlights and mixing to create tints; essential for capturing light modifications
Yellow
Cadmium Yellow or Chrome Yellow
Sunlit areas, foliage, and clothing; complementary to purple/blue shadows
Blue
Cobalt Blue or Ultramarine
Shadows, sky, and clothing; complementary to orange/yellow highlights
Red
Alizarin Crimson or Cadmium Red
Accents in clothing, flowers, or skin tones; complementary to green
Green
Mixed from Yellow and Blue, or Viridian
Foliage and park elements; subject to simultaneous contrast with reds
Brown/Umber
Burnt Umber or Raw Umber
Shadows and earth tones; used to lower the lightest tones as per contrast laws
composition
The composition likely emphasizes the organization of visual elements such as line, shape, and value to create a sense of depth and movement (Source 6). As a genre painting, it depicts ordinary people in a common activity, likely arranged to show figures to whom no specific identity is attached, focusing on the scene rather than individual portraiture (Source 2). Chase’s Munich training influenced his use of loose brushwork in figurative works, suggesting that the figures are integrated into the landscape through similar textural treatment rather than sharp delineation (Source 7). The arrangement likely uses the law of simultaneous contrast to enhance the visual impact of adjacent colors, such as placing warm tones against cool shadows (Source 1).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Lightly sketch the main compositional elements using a thin wash of paint or charcoal. Focus on the placement of figures and major landscape features.
Tip — Keep lines loose and tentative; Impressionism favors direct painting over detailed drawing.
Blocking in
underpainting
step 02
Apply a thin layer of diluted paint to establish the basic values and color relationships. Use cooler tones for shadows and warmer tones for highlights.
Tip — Ensure the underpainting is dry before proceeding to avoid muddying the final colors.
Imprimatura
first pass
step 03
Begin applying opaque colors to the canvas, working from the background to the foreground. Use broad, loose brushstrokes to capture the overall impression of light and color.
Tip — Pay attention to the modifications of light on the model, perceiving and imitating them promptly (Source 1).
Alla prima
refining
step 04
Refine the color relationships by applying complementary colors adjacent to each other to enhance vibrancy. For example, place orange next to blue to make both appear more intense.
Tip — Remember that the lightest tone will be lowered and the darkest tone heightened when colors are not of the same tone (Source 1).
Simultaneous contrast
finishing
step 05
Add final details and highlights, ensuring that the brushwork remains visible and energetic. Step back frequently to assess the overall harmony and contrast.
Tip — Avoid overworking the paint; maintain the freshness of the initial impressions.
Glazing/Scumbling
varnishing
step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely for several weeks before applying a protective varnish.
Tip — Use a high-quality damar or synthetic varnish to protect the oil paint.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Simultaneous Contrast
Used to enhance the vibrancy of colors by placing complementary colors next to each other. This technique relies on the eye's tendency to see the complementary of a color after observing it for some time (Source 1).
Loose Brushwork
Chase’s style, influenced by his Munich training, involves rapid, visible brushstrokes that capture the fleeting effects of light and movement (Source 7).
Color Harmony
Achieved through the use of complementary, split-complementary, or analogous color schemes to create aesthetically pleasing combinations (Source 3).
common pitfalls
- →Over-mixing colors on the palette, which can lead to muddy tones instead of vibrant, optically mixed colors.
- →Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, resulting in flat or dull color relationships.
- →Overworking the paint, losing the freshness and energy of the initial brushstrokes.
- →Failing to perceive the modifications of light promptly, leading to inaccurate color representation (Source 1).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific details about the exact pigments used by Chase in 1889 are not provided in the sources.
- ·The specific compositional layout of 'In the Park, Paris' is not described in detail, so the guide relies on general Impressionist and Chase-specific practices.
- ·Information about Chase’s specific varnishing or finishing techniques is not included in the sources.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color theory, simultaneous contrast, and perception of light modifications
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- Part 1 and Part 4 — applied to Definition of genre painting and context of 19th-century genre scenes
Wikipedia: Harmony (color)↗
- Part 1 — applied to Color harmony principles and complementary colors
Wikipedia bio — William Merritt Chase↗
- Part 1 — applied to Chase’s style, Munich training, and loose brushwork
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Part 1 — applied to Compositional elements and visual organization
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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