Artwork
An English Cod
An English Cod is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist William Merritt Chase. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: WM M. CHASE
About this work
Technique & Style
92 cm in width, giving it a slightly broader-than-tall format that suits the horizontal presentation of the subject.
An English Cod is executed in oil on canvas, a medium consistent with Chase's still-life practice. The painting is a still life depicting a fish, classified as a painting within the genre of still life. The canvas measures 91.76 cm in height by 101.92 cm in width, giving it a slightly broader-than-tall format that suits the horizontal presentation of the subject.
The work is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., having passed through the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
History & Provenance
An English Cod is an oil on canvas painting by William Merritt Chase completed in 1904. In 1905 it was purchased from the artist through the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, and entered the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. In 2014, following the dissolution of the Corcoran, the painting was transferred to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, where it remains. Its provenance traces a clear chain of ownership: artist to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts to the Corcoran Gallery of Art to the National Gallery of Art. No specific exhibition history or accession number is given in the available records.
Overview
William Merritt Chase's 1904 oil painting, An English Cod, presents a focused still life. Executed on canvas, this work centers on a single fish, rendered with a direct and observational approach. It exemplifies the artist's engagement with everyday subjects, transforming a simple object into a study of form and light. The painting invites close inspection of its subject, characteristic of Chase's detailed still life practice.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a solitary cod fish resting upon a white plate, its form occupying the central space. The fish's skin, a muted gray with subtle pink undertones, is meticulously observed, and its tail exhibits a gentle curl. Rather than conveying movement or narrative, the composition emphasizes the inherent qualities of the fish itself, presenting it as an object for quiet contemplation.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
William Merritt Chase (November 1, 1849 – October 25, 1916) was an American painter, known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher.
