William Merritt Chase was born in rural Indiana in 1849. He began painting portraits in his teens, which earned him modest local patronage. Encouraged by this success, he made his way to New York, studying at the National Academy of Design, followed by studies and work in Munich. He returned to New York in 1878 and began his teaching career. Through his annual summer art school, begun in 1891, Chase introduced many students to the plein-air method of painting. He taught for 36 years, and was tremendously popular with students and art patrons alike.
The painting On the Beach is an example of Chase's inclination to choose images in which public venues are treated as though they are intimate living spaces. Although the figures are clearly on a public beach, Chase makes us feel as though we are viewing them in a private setting. His loose treatment of the sand and water reflect an Impressionistic tendency, while his subtly defined subjects maintain an air of realism.
Manufactured by Laurel Ink in Seattle, WA, this 500 piece puzzle is easily framed upon completion with completed dimensions of 18 inches by 24 inches.
