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for Harry Chase
American, 1853 - 1889
Chase began his artistic study with James Reeve Stuart in St. Louis. He spent the 1870-71 academic year in the National Academy's Antique School before leaving for a long period of European study. Chase's first stop was the Royal Academy in Munich, where he spent three years studying with Wilhelm von Lindenschmidt, among others. He also visited Venice and arranged to study the North Sea coastline by shipping as a captain's clerk on a small vessel. At this point, Chase may have returned to St. Louis to get married, but he was soon in Paris for two years, making trips to the French seacoast and working under Paul Constant Soyer. His final and most important European residence was in The Hague. There he placed himself under Hendrik Wilhelm Mesdag, whose marine paintings became his chief influence.
Returning to the United States around 1879, Chase spent time in St. Louis and New Bedford, Massachusetts, before opening a New York studio. He quickly became known for his grey, stormy marines and was elected an Associate member of the Academy in 1883. Two years later, he won the First Hallgarten Prize for New York Harbor, North River. Following this honor, Chase exhibited only once more at the Academy. On December 31, 1885, the New York Tribune published a page-one account of the artist's "sudden mania." Accustomed to spending his summers sailing along the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts, Chase had returned that year in ill health. Adopting a restrictive diet of hard rolls and grape juice, he lost 40 pounds and grew sickly. When his friends heard him expounding on "wild" ideas of starting a world art colony in New Jersey and dredging the Passaic River for steamer traffic, they tricked him into going to the state asylum in Poughkeepsie, New York. His NAD obituary commented on his precocious career, ending, "His early death and the sad circumstances of the painful affliction which preceded it excite general and deep sorrow and sympathy."
Following Chase's death, his widow asked Irwin to make her a copy of the portrait. The Council gave its permission on 3 March 1890 provided Irwin return the portrait within one month.
Returning to the United States around 1879, Chase spent time in St. Louis and New Bedford, Massachusetts, before opening a New York studio. He quickly became known for his grey, stormy marines and was elected an Associate member of the Academy in 1883. Two years later, he won the First Hallgarten Prize for New York Harbor, North River. Following this honor, Chase exhibited only once more at the Academy. On December 31, 1885, the New York Tribune published a page-one account of the artist's "sudden mania." Accustomed to spending his summers sailing along the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts, Chase had returned that year in ill health. Adopting a restrictive diet of hard rolls and grape juice, he lost 40 pounds and grew sickly. When his friends heard him expounding on "wild" ideas of starting a world art colony in New Jersey and dredging the Passaic River for steamer traffic, they tricked him into going to the state asylum in Poughkeepsie, New York. His NAD obituary commented on his precocious career, ending, "His early death and the sad circumstances of the painful affliction which preceded it excite general and deep sorrow and sympathy."
Following Chase's death, his widow asked Irwin to make her a copy of the portrait. The Council gave its permission on 3 March 1890 provided Irwin return the portrait within one month.
