William Merritt ChaseAmerican, 1849–1916A City Park
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “A City Park” now? Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 161, Chicago. Yes, on view now. Checked October 12, 2026.
Chicago, United States
Closed· opens Thu at 11:00 AM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
William Merritt Chase was one of the most influential painters in the United States at the turn of the twentieth century. After an extended stay in Europe, which ended when he established his studio in New York City in 1878, Chase demonstrated his extraordinary versatility, painting portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes. His vigor as an artist was equaled by his long and successful career as a teacher: his classes at the Art Students League in New York and the Shinnecock Hills Summer School on Long Island attracted many students.
Read on
In the mid-1880s, Chase embarked on a group of plein-air paintings inspired by New York's parks. Influenced by the brilliant colors and unorthodox compositional formats of the French Impressionists, he often countered a broad, comparatively empty foreground with a detailed background. In this painting, which probably depicts Brooklyn’s Tompkins Park, almost half the canvas is filled by the wide, empty walkway, which, with its strong diagonal borders, carries the eye into the composition. This swift movement into space is slowed by the woman on the bench, who appears to gaze expectantly toward someone approaching along the path. To the left, colorful flowers provide a contrast to the bare walk at the right. This informal, seemingly spontaneous work, capturing the sparkle, light, and activity of a summer day, testifies to the freshness and vitality that Chase brought to the painting of such scenes.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1968.88
What it shows
In the catalog
Display history
On view · Gallery 161
Art Institute of Chicago · Sep 28, 2026 — now · Verified
Was on view · Gallery 171
Art Institute of Chicago · Aug 19, 2026 — Sep 28, 2026 · Verified
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
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