At the Seaside

William Merritt Chase (1849-1916)

At the Seaside (1892)

Oil on Canvas

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Life is very short... but I would like to live four times and if I could, I would set out to do no other things than I am seeking now to do. --William Merritt Chase

At the Seaside is one of the masterpieces featured in Museum ABC. (U is for Umbrella.) I love the bright reds, yellows, and blues. It feels as if the clouds were ready to float over me.

My first exposure to the American painter, William Merritt Chase, was the painting Idle Hours. My younger sister was taking a high school art class and discovered she was talented at making copies of other paintings (particularly Impressionist water colors). She made a wonderful copy of Idle Hours which I framed and displayed for some time after. Now seeing Chase's painting brings an immediate smile to my face.

Looking back at the few Fine Art Friday offerings I've made, I notice a distinct theme. Idleness and Relaxation. Hmm. I wonder why these paintings are appealing to me at this phase of life. Maybe next week I'll step out of my comfort zone.