plate no. 5353

Landscape, Shinnecock Hills

William Merritt Chase, 1900

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapelandscapehillstreesgrassskypath

recreation guide

William Merritt Chase’s *Landscape, Shinnecock Hills* (1900) is a quintessential example of American Impressionism, characterized by its loose, energetic brushwork and emphasis on the transient effects of light. As an exponent of Impressionism and a prominent teacher, Chase’s practice involved capturing the 'modifications of the light on the model' with promptness and surety, rather than laborious studio refinement (Source 2). The work likely employs a technique where broad masses of color are established first, allowing for the spontaneous production of smaller details through the principles of simultaneous contrast and chiaroscuro (Source 1). While specific visual details of the Shinnecock landscape are not described in the provided texts, the painting fits within the tradition of 19th-century landscape painting that sought to express the special nature of the homeland, often utilizing a palette determined by the subject but adjusted for harmonic effect (Source 4).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion/Red)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	Standard tube oils; ensure high pigment load for transparency in glazing
Canvas	Support for the oil painting	Linen or cotton duck, primed
Oil of Copavia or Linseed Oil	Medium for the first and second paintings, as noted in Reynolds' method cited by Chase's contemporaries	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent tones	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish
Brushes (Flat and Filbert)	For applying broad masses and loose brushwork characteristic of Chase's Munich training	Hog bristle for impasto, sable for glazing

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a ground that allows for the 'glazing and scumbling' techniques described in the sources. While Chase’s specific ground for this piece is not detailed, the practice of the period often involved a neutral or toned ground to facilitate the extraction of red and yellow tones in the underpainting phase (Source 3). The surface should be smooth enough to allow for transparent glazes but textured enough to hold the loose brushwork associated with his Munich training (Source 6).

underdrawing

Chase’s Impressionist style suggests a minimal or non-existent visible underdrawing, as the focus is on the 'prompt and sure' imitation of light modifications (Source 2). Any preliminary sketch would likely be done in thin oil or charcoal, quickly covered by the first layer of paint to avoid 'smallness' and over-modeling (Source 5).

underpainting

The underpainting likely follows a monochrome or grisaille approach, mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure (Source 3). This 'grisaille' serves as the foundation for subsequent glazing. The artist would use black, ultramarine, and white to create the initial values, adhering to the method cited by Sir Joshua Reynolds which influenced the academic training of the era (Source 3).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine blue

Underpainting and sky tones; part of the initial black/white/blue palette for value structure

White

Lead white or Zinc white

Highlighting and mixing with ultramarine/black for the grisaille underpainting

Black

Ivory black or Lamp black

Establishing shadows and depth in the underpainting

Yellow Ochre

Natural earth pigment

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and earth tones in the landscape

Vermilion/Red

Red lead or Cadmium red

Glazing to introduce warmth and flesh tones if figures are present, or to enhance the 'red and yellow tones' extracted in the underpainting

composition

While specific compositional elements of *Landscape, Shinnecock Hills* are not detailed in the sources, Chase’s work generally adheres to the principles of visual ordering where elements relate to the whole (Source 8). The composition likely emphasizes 'great effects' from which 'many small ones resulted,' relying on the juxtaposition of tones to create a true gradation of light (Source 1). The artist would have chosen the color of the sky and accidental effects to harmonize with the inherent colors of the landscape, substituting true colors with those of a neighboring scale for better harmony (Source 1).

step by step

underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underpainting

step 01
Create a monochrome grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white. Mentally extract red and yellow tones to establish the value structure of the landscape.
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is quite dry before proceeding to glazing.
Monochrome Underpainting

first pass

step 02
Apply broad masses of color using oil of copavia or linseed oil. Focus on the 'modifications of the light on the model' rather than fine details.
Tip — Avoid over-modeling; check for tendencies to 'smallness' by stepping back frequently.
Alla Prima / Broad Massing

refining

step 03
Glaze and scumble yellow and red tones over the dry underpainting. Use transparent coats of color to harmonize the composition.
Tip — Scumbling over a darker ground tends to coldness; use this to create grey blooms or atmospheric effects.
Glazing and Scumbling

finishing

step 04
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast. Ensure that juxtaposed colors enhance each other, with the lightest tone lowered and the darkest heightened.
Tip — Be aware of 'mixed contrast' where the eye sees the complementary of the previously viewed color, leading to inaccuracies.
Simultaneous Contrast

varnishing

step 05
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the glazes.
Tip — Ensure all layers are completely dry to prevent cracking.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Simultaneous Contrast

Used to harmonize colors and create true gradations of light. Juxtaposing colors causes the lightest tone to be lowered and the darkest heightened, enhancing the visual impact.

Glazing and Scumbling

Transparent coats of color (glazing) and semi-opaque painting (scumbling) are used over a dry monochrome underpainting to introduce warmth and harmony.

Prompt Imitation of Light

The artist seeks to perceive and imitate the modifications of light on the model quickly, avoiding the fatigue of disentangling feeble modifications.

common pitfalls

→Over-modeling and becoming 'too much tied down to your outline,' which leads to smallness and loss of the broad effects characteristic of Impressionism (Source 5).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception where the eye sees the complementary of the previously viewed color (Source 2).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can ruin the transparency and harmony of the final work (Source 3).

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 visual details of the Shinnecock Hills landscape (e.g., specific trees, dunes, or figures) are not described in the sources.
·Chase’s exact palette for this specific 1900 painting is not detailed; the palette is inferred from general Impressionist practices and the cited texts.
·The specific dimensions and aspect ratio of the canvas are not provided.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Chiaroscuro and Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Understanding how juxtaposed colors affect tone and value, crucial for the finishing phase.
- 315-318. Advantages and Mixed Contrast — applied to Guiding the prompt imitation of light and avoiding color perception errors.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- Colouring a Monochrome — applied to The underpainting and glazing/scumbling techniques.
- On Copying — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and smallness.