1875
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Keying Up: The Court Jester is a 1875 ink by William Merritt Chase, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a hunched figure in a tattered, oversized coat, leaning on a pillar. The face is blurred, almost hidden, and the hands clutch a bundle of what might be laundry or rags. The background is dark, with rough textures and a door frame that looks old and worn. The artist used sharp lines and shading to show the figure’s awkward stance and the rough fabric of the coat. This style was common in etchings, where the artist scratches into metal plates to create the image. Look up etching to see how artists like this made prints by hand.
William Merritt Chase (November 1, 1849 – October 25, 1916) was an American painter, known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher.
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