Pablo de Sarasate; Portrait of a Violinist c. 1875

William Merritt Chase painted this portrait of Pablo de Sarasate, the celebrated Spanish violinist, during the late 19th or early 20th century, a period when the art world was undergoing massive changes. The loose brushwork and dark palette place this painting in the tradition of the European portrait, but Chase was an American artist who saw himself as creating something new. As art became more commercialized, portraiture was an important way to gain public recognition, both for the sitter and for the artist. Here, the intense gaze and confident pose suggest that Sarasate was not just a musician, but a celebrity. And if we want to know more about this painting, we need to look at the social context in which it was made. The rise of concert halls, the changing status of musicians, the dynamics between Europe and America, all of these things give meaning to this compelling image.