Still Life

A dramatic light illuminates a group of silvery fish, the warm glow of brass, and the sheen of a damp tabletop. Many would not find the depiction of a cod, a flounder, and a mackerel of great interest. William Merritt Chase mastered the challenge of what he called making "an uninteresting subject so inviting and entertaining by means of fine technique that people will be charmed at the way you've done it." Chase's fish still lifes were typically finished in less than a day, often as virtuoso demonstrations of technique for his students. They were extremely popular with collectors, and the best of them, like this still life, exemplify his commanding brushwork.