The Spanish Dude c. 1905

William Merritt Chase seems to have captured this dude with oil on canvas. Look at the bravura brushwork, the confidence of the strokes. You can almost see Chase's hand moving, smearing, and shaping the paint to conjure this character. I wonder what Chase was thinking as he painted? Was he trying to capture a certain essence, or was he simply fascinated by the play of light and shadow on the model's face? It's like he's inviting us into a conversation, asking us to consider what it means to represent someone. I love the way the red and white jump out against the dark background – a flash of energy that enlivens the whole composition. Painters have always looked to one another for inspiration, riffing on ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. Each brushstroke is a record of a decision, a moment of intuition, and a connection to the long history of image-making. And that’s the beauty of it – there’s no one right way to see or interpret a painting.