plate no. 5913

View of Fiesole

William Merritt Chase, 1907

oilImpressionismlandscapelandscapetreesfoliagebuildinghillssky

recreation guide

William Merritt Chase’s 'View of Fiesole' (1907) is a landscape executed in oil, reflecting his status as a prominent American exponent of Impressionism (Source 3). While the specific visual details of this particular canvas are not described in the provided sources, Chase’s general practice involved a loosely brushed style developed during his training in Munich under Karl von Piloty and Alexander von Wagner (Source 3). The work likely adheres to the Impressionist tradition of capturing the modifications of light and color inherent in natural scenery, rather than strict topographical accuracy (Source 4). Chase’s approach to landscape painting was influenced by the broader European trends that elevated landscape as a primary source of stylistic innovation, moving beyond mere representation to capture the atmospheric effects of the environment (Source 2).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red, Yellow)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing as described in historical methods	Artist-grade oil paints
Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia	Medium for thinning paint and creating glazes; Reynolds specifically mentions oil of copavia for first and second paintings	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or Turpentine	Solvent for cleaning brushes and thinning initial layers	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas	Support for the oil painting	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Charcoal or thinned paint	For initial sketching of the subject onto the canvas	Vine charcoal or diluted oil paint
Palette knives and brushes	Application of paint; knives can be used for scraping or applying thick layers	Standard artist brushes and palette knives

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming methods for this exact work are not detailed, traditional oil painting techniques involve sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint before applying color (Source 7). Chase’s Munich training emphasized a loosely brushed style, suggesting a surface that allows for visible brushwork rather than an overly smooth, dead-flat finish.

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the composition using charcoal or thinned paint to establish the main forms and perspective of the landscape (Source 7). Focus on the mass and volume of the landscape elements rather than minor details, consistent with contour drawing principles that emphasize form and space (Source 8). Chase’s style was characterized by loose brushwork, so the underdrawing should be light and flexible, allowing for adjustments during the painting process.

underpainting

Employ a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) technique. Mentally extract red and yellow colors to create a neutral base, translating what would remain in nature if those warm tones were absent (Source 1). This underpainting should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. This method, while sometimes viewed with prejudice by modern painters, was practiced by old masters and involves establishing the tonal structure before adding color (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Part of the initial monochrome underpainting along with black and white (Source 1)

White

Lead white or titanium white

Establishing highlights and tonal values in the grisaille stage (Source 1)

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Establishing shadows and depth in the grisaille stage (Source 1)

Red and Yellow tones

Vermilion, cadmium red, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce warmth and local color (Source 1)

Greys and Cool Tones

Mixtures of ultramarine, white, and black

Creating 'grey blooms' and coldness in shadows or distant areas via scumbling (Source 1)

composition

As a landscape, the composition likely includes a wide view with sky and weather elements, which are almost always included in such works (Source 4). Chase’s Impressionist approach suggests a focus on the coherent arrangement of natural scenery elements like trees, hills, or buildings into a unified whole, rather than strict topographical precision (Source 4). The artist may have chosen colors that harmonize with the inherent nature of the objects, while also considering the simultaneous contrast of colors to enhance the perception of light and shadow (Source 6).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→drying→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the landscape composition lightly using charcoal or thinned paint, focusing on the major forms and spatial relationships.
Tip — Keep lines loose to allow for the 'loosely brushed style' characteristic of Chase (Source 3).
Contour drawing / Initial sketch

underpainting

step 02
Create a grisaille underpainting using only black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or linseed oil). Exclude red and yellow tones to establish the tonal structure.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow to see the underlying structure (Source 1).
Grisaille / Monochrome underpainting

first pass

step 04
Apply transparent glazes of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as a medium initially.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying painting to show through (Source 1).
Glazing

drying

step 03
Allow the grisaille layer to dry completely. This is crucial before applying glazes to prevent muddying the colors.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, typically within two weeks, but some colors may take longer (Source 7).
Drying time

refining

step 05
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to add texture and cool tones, particularly over darker grounds to create a 'grey bloom' effect.
Tip — Scumbling tends to coldness when employed over a darker ground (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 06
Refine the color harmonies by considering the simultaneous contrast of colors. Adjust tones where juxtapositions might cause visual fatigue or inaccurate color perception.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see the complementary of a previously viewed color, affecting accuracy (Source 5).
Simultaneous contrast

varnishing

step 07
Once fully dry, apply a varnish if desired, potentially mixed with oil for final adjustments, as practiced by some old masters.
Tip — Varnish can be mixed with oil for final glazing effects (Source 1).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color, while scumbling is a semi-opaque technique that allows the underlying layer to show through. These were used by old masters and are recommended for adding depth and tone (Source 1).

Grisaille Underpainting

Creating a monochrome base using black, ultramarine, and white to establish form and value before adding color. This method helps in mentally extracting warm tones to focus on structure (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. This helps in harmonizing the composition and accurately depicting light modifications (Source 5).

Fat over Lean

Ensuring each additional layer of paint contains more oil than the layer below to prevent cracking and peeling (Source 7).

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddied colors and poor adhesion (Source 1).
→Violating the 'fat over lean' rule, causing the painting to crack and peel over time (Source 7).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and disharmonious compositions (Source 5).
→Overworking the details, contrary to Chase’s loosely brushed style and the Impressionist focus on light and atmosphere rather than topographical precision (Source 3, Source 4).

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 'View of Fiesole' (e.g., exact placement of buildings, trees, or figures) are not described in the sources.
·Chase’s specific palette choices for this 1907 work are not detailed; the guide relies on general historical practices and his Munich training style.
·The exact medium ratios (oil to pigment) used by Chase for this specific painting are unknown.
·Whether Chase used varnish mixed with oil for this specific work is inferred from general old master practices mentioned in Source 1, not confirmed for this piece.

grounded in

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

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-324 — applied to Color theory and simultaneous contrast

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — William Merritt Chase↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist’s style, training, and Impressionist affiliation
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- part 1 and part 7 — applied to Genre conventions and compositional elements
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 2 — applied to Material handling and 'fat over lean' rule
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- part 1 — applied to Underdrawing approach