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| "William Merritt Chase," 1877, by Frank Duveneck |
At Polling the students worked in a deserted monastery for which they paid a small rent, using the monks' cells for studios and utilizing the picturesquely costumed peasants for models. The lower part of the monastery had been turned into a stable, and they also painted the cattle and sheep. Certain red tape had to be gone through in arranging the farewell festivity. Permission had to be obtained from the Mayor of Weilheim, the town to be passed through, before the merrymakers could proceed on their way.
The students had built a sort of throne covered with draperies, rugs,
skins, and brass plates and placed it on an ox-cart. A large caricature
of Chase was placed above the seat he was to occupy. White Bavarian
oxen harnessed with quaint picturesque brass bands across their
foreheads were decorated with garlands. On the back of the cart was a
keg of beer from which the guest of honor as well as his entertainers
refreshed themselves.
When Chase descended from the train at Weilheim, he was overwhelmed by a shrieking mob of friends and lifted to the throne. Then to the accompaniment of Tyrolese mountain horns and
copper kitchen-ware beaten with a spoon, a veritable pandemonium, they
drew the cart up to the door of an inn where the festivities continued
until a late hour. The night was described in an American paper at the time as 'pleasantly spent in mirth and song.' A piece of parchment covered with seals, coins and
ribbons containing the names of the men who were present at that
celebration hung for many years in Chase's Tenth Street studio in New York."
To be continued
(Excerpts from "The Life and Art of William Merritt Chase" by Katharine Metcalf Roof.)
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