Artwork
Gathering Flowers, Shinnecock, Long Island
Gathering Flowers, Shinnecock, Long Island is a pastel drawing by the Impressionist artist William Merritt Chase. It dates from 1897 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
William Merritt Chase’s work titled *Gathering Flowers, Shinnecock, Long Island* is a late‑19th‑century piece executed around 1897. Rendered in pastel on canvas, the composition is catalogued as a drawing, reflecting Chase’s interest in plein‑air studies of everyday life on Long Island’s Shinnecock Peninsula.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a figure—or figures—collecting wildflowers amid the coastal landscape of Shinnecock. By focusing on a simple, domestic activity, the work highlights the quiet rhythms of rural leisure and the intimate relationship between people and the natural environment of the region.
Technique & Style
Chase employs soft pastel pigments applied directly to canvas, allowing for delicate tonal transitions and a luminous surface. The handling is loose yet controlled, characteristic of his late‑period approach that blends Impressionist light effects with a more representational drawing sensibility.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1897, the piece belongs to a period when Chase frequently visited Long Island for summer work. Its provenance traces through private collections before entering the museum’s holdings, where it serves as an example of his regional studies during the final decade of the 19th century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
William Merritt Chase (November 1, 1849 – October 25, 1916) was an American painter, known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher.
