Still Life with Fish by William Merritt Chase

This magnificent still life created by Chase William Merritt, bearing the title “Still Life with Fish”, bears witness to the artist’s pronounced taste for classic interior scenes. The painter showcases simple elements combined with decorative porcelain, illustrating a subtle dialogue between rusticity and refinement. This composition invites to a calm contemplation of the art of living of yesteryear and its simple beauty.

A porcelain bowl with a pale blue collar, decorated at its base with delicate bright red and white flowers, domineers the space on a dark surface. By its side, three fish lie heavily on the table under a weak side light. The central fish, whitish in color with silvery glints, is arranged from the front and seems to have been carefully scaled. Two other fish, thinner and with dark bluish skin, frame the latter on the left and right sides. The targeted light makes the wet bodies of the marine creatures sparkle, creating a soft and cozy atmosphere that contrasts sharply with the background.

The pictorial technique of oil on canvas reveals here a remarkable craftsmanship in the treatment of the materials of this genre scene. The realistic rendering of the shiny reflections of the porcelain and the fish scales bears witness to an exemplary meticulousness. This is a striking work of art of an incredible technical mastery.