Chase, William Merrett: Modern Americ (Hardcover)

Hailed early on as a genius destined to transform American art, William Merritt Chase (1849-1916) put his innovative stamp on American painting during a five-year span when he suddenly changed his technique and subject matter and began producing gorgeous, sun-dappled Impressionist views of New York parks and coastlines -- the first Impressionist works ever painted of American landscapes.

This volume -- which accompanies an exhibition of Chase's urban landscapes at the Brooklyn Museum of Art -- is the first in-depth study of this pivotal period in Chase's career. Armed with new discoveries about the life of the man who became known as "the artistic interpreter of Central Park and Prospect Park", the author shows how Chase turned to his urban scenes to heed the nationalist call of his critics. With splendid illustrations that evoke nostalgia for a now-gone era, this is an impressive work of scholarship -- and a book of great appeal for art lovers.