Portrait of Miss D., William Merritt Chase
Chase had a special gift for capturing the likenesses and lives of the privileged class. However, unlike many of his contemporaries, Chase generally avoided artificial studio stereotypes in posing his models, preferring instead to capture a spontaneous and authentic encounter with the individual. Here, the artist’s daughter Alice poses with the confidence of a frequent portrait sitter, striking a balance between youthful innocence and worldly experience. She appears to epitomize the turn of the century ideal of the “New Woman,” who is both feminine and strong.
