The Orangerie 1909

William Merritt Chase painted “The Orangerie” with oil on canvas; when, exactly, is less clear. Look at how Chase applied the paint here! It’s not about hiding the brushstrokes, it’s about letting them sing. The texture is alive, almost as if the paint itself is growing like the plants depicted. You can practically feel the warmth of the sun-baked wall of the Orangerie in the buttery yellows and the cool relief offered by the shady green lawn. Focus on the lawn: Chase doesn’t just paint a flat green surface; he builds it up with layers of different hues. These colors merge and dance, creating a sense of depth and movement. You can almost feel the breeze rustling the grass. It’s like looking at a photograph slowly coming into focus or maybe a memory slowly resolving. For me, this painting shares some of the same breezy, outdoor feeling as some of Berthe Morisot's garden paintings. And like her work, Chase invites us to experience the pleasure of looking and the endless possibilities of paint.