William Merrit Chase, Still Life with Brass Coffee Pot, Bowl, Celery and Red Peppers

Still lifes were such a staple of Chase’s artistic production that he worried he would be remembered as “a painter of fish.” Through his intense study of Impressionist Édouard Manet’s work in the 1890s, Chase discovered still lifes by Spanish Baroque artists such as Diego Velázquez. The result was a period of dark and earthy compositions with objects from the humblest of kitchens. Here, an assortment of vessels stands on a table in a dark interior. A brass coffee pot reflects a warm, narrow light and scattered vegetables serve as colorful counterpoints, drawing attention to the artist’s expert brushwork.