The Keynote (1915) by William Merritt Chase

  • Artwork Name
    The Keynote (1915)
  • Artist
    William Merritt Chase (1849–1916), American
  • Dimensions
    Oil on canvas
  • Collection Source
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • License
    Public Domain Content: Free for Personal & Commercial Use
  • 4090 x 5131 pixels, JPEG, 16.05 MB
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About the Artist

William Merritt Chase

William Merritt Chase (1849–1916), American, A vibrant figure in American Impressionism, this painter brought a fresh, luminous energy to the late 19th-century art scene. Known for his deft brushwork and keen eye for light, he often depicted leisurely outdoor scenes—parks, beaches, and gardens—infused with a sense of immediacy. His work straddled realism and impressionism, capturing both the solidity of forms and the fleeting effects of atmosphere. Portraiture was another strength, with subjects ranging from society figures to his own family, rendered with psychological depth and a loose, lively technique.
Influenced by his studies in Munich and travels across Europe, he blended Old World traditions with a distinctly American sensibility. Later, as a revered teacher in New York and Philadelphia, he shaped a generation of artists, advocating for plein air painting and bold experimentation. Though sometimes overshadowed by contemporaries like Sargent or Whistler, his legacy endures in the shimmering surfaces and intimate moments of his canvases—whether a sun-dappled studio interior or a windswept shoreline at twilight.

Artwork Story

William Merritt Chase’s *The Keynote* (1915) captures a moment of quiet intensity, blending realism with a dreamlike softness. A woman in a flowing white dress sits at a piano, her fingers hovering above the keys as if caught between thought and action. The warm glow of lamplight spills across the room, casting delicate shadows on the patterned wallpaper and richly textured fabrics. Chase’s brushwork is loose yet precise, giving life to the folds of her dress and the sheen of the polished piano. There’s an unspoken narrative here—is she about to play, or lost in memory? The painting feels intimate, almost like a stolen glimpse into a private world.

What stands out is Chase’s mastery of light, how it dances across surfaces, pulling the viewer into the scene. The composition balances stillness and movement, with the woman’s poised figure contrasting against the dynamic swirl of her skirt. Though rooted in realism, there’s a hint of impressionist flair, especially in the way colors blend seamlessly. It’s not just a portrait of a musician but a meditation on anticipation, artistry, and the fleeting moments before creation begins.

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