The artwork “In the Park – a By-Path,” created circa 1890 by William Merritt Chase, embodies the Impressionist movement in its treatment of light and color. Composed with oil on canvas, the work measures 49.2 x 35.6 cm and falls within the genre painting category, depicting a scene from everyday life. It currently enriches the collection of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, Spain.
In the artwork, the viewer is presented with a tranquil park setting, where the natural light filters through the foliage, casting dappled shadows across a meandering path. A young girl in a white dress and bonnet is depicted standing near the left edge of the path, her pose suggesting movement and playfulness. Further along the path sits another figure, seemingly an adult, dressed in red and seated on a bench, engrossed perhaps in thought or the beauty of their surroundings. The stonework of a low wall lines one side of the path, giving way to the verdant greenery that thrives in the peaceful enclave. Chase’s brushwork captures the relaxed atmosphere of the park, with his loose and lively brushstrokes contributing to the sense of immediacy and the fleeting effects of light that are characteristic of the Impressionist style.
