--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He [William Merritt Chase] is, I suspect…" description: "\"He [William Merritt Chase] is, I suspect, getting a very truthful likeness. I would like it better if [it] was not so gray, so cramped about the eyes, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_appearance_he-william-merritt-chase-is-i-suspect-ge_2425584.jpg" --- # He \[William Merritt Chase\] is, I suspect, getting a very… ![“He [William Merritt Chase] is, I suspect, getting a very truthful likeness. I would like it better if [it] was not so gray, so cramped about the eyes, and not quite so corpulent. But is this not quarreling with nature?” quote by Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_appearance_he-william-merritt-chase-is-i-suspect-ge_2425584.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_appearance_he-william-merritt-chase-is-i-suspect-ge_2425584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_appearance_he-william-merritt-chase-is-i-suspect-ge_2425584.jpg) > “He \[William Merritt Chase\] is, I suspect, getting a very truthful likeness. I would like it better if \[it\] was not so gray, so cramped about the eyes, and not quite so corpulent. But is this not quarreling with nature?” [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The portrait is realistic but overly gray and cramped, seeming to clash with natural form. **In simple terms:** The painting feels too dark and constrained, contrary to nature. Key Takeaway Seek balance between realism and aesthetic harmony. Themes art critique aesthetics nature Mood reflective analytical Type artistic critical When to use this quote - gallery curation - art education - personal studio work Key Concepts painting technique color theory visual composition Questions to Reflect On - How does personal taste affect art criticism? - What is the role of naturalism in portraiture? A Different Perspective The critique may be overly subjective, ignoring artistic intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gray/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Likeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likeness/) [Likeness Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likeness-like-6151692/) [Merritt Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merritt-chase-6151694/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Portraits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits/) [Quite Corpulent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-corpulent-6151693/) [Suspects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspects/) [Truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful/) [Truthful Likeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful-likeness-6151691/) ## Related quotes > [If it's a likeness, alone, it's not a success. If, through my portraits, you can come to know the subjects more meaningfully, if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/if-it-s-a-likeness-alone-it-s-not-a-success-if-through-my-portraits/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [Andre Breton once said that a portrait should not only be an image but an oracle one questions, and that the photographer's aim should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-brandt/andre-breton-once-said-that-a-portrait-should-not-only-be-an-image/) [Bill Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-brandt/) > [It is not merely the likeness which is precious... but the association and the sense of nearness involved in the thing... the fact of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/it-is-not-merely-the-likeness-which-is-precious-but-the-association/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [What we know about Cleopatra's looks is based purely on her coin portraits. Engraving was imperfect, and that when you are a ruler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/what-we-know-about-cleopatra-s-looks-is-based-purely-on-her-coin/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/a-portrait-is-not-a-likeness-the-moment-an-emotion-or-fact-is/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [“Child, you do not know me. You have created a mythical being in my likeness whom you have set up as a god. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/child-you-do-not-know-me-you-have-created-a-mythical-being-in-my/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [If it be true that God and man are in one image or likeness (and the affirmation that they are so is not unplausible)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-batchelder-greene/if-it-be-true-that-god-and-man-are-in-one-image-or-likeness-and-the/) [William Batchelder Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-batchelder-greene/) > [“Deform me to your likeness so that no one, after you, can understand the reason for so much desire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maguerite-duras/deform-me-to-your-likeness-so-that-no-one-after-you-can-understand/) [Maguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maguerite-duras/) > [“He’d made love to her four times now, he realized, but this was his first chance to truly look upon her body. She was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/he-d-made-love-to-her-four-times-now-he-realized-but-this-was-his/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [Fantasy remains a human right: we make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because we are made: and not only made, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fantasy-remains-a-human-right-we-make-in-our-measure-and-in-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Genesis’ saying that we are made in the likeness of God does not mean that God looks a little like us, with a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/genesis-saying-that-we-are-made-in-the-likeness-of-god-does-not-mean/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [“The necessary unlikeness between the creator and the created holds within it the equally necessary likeness of the thing made to him who makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-necessary-unlikeness-between-the-creator-and-the-created-holds/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Your own self, your personality and existence are reflected within the mind of each of the people whom you meet, ... into a likeness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isak-dinesen/your-own-self-your-personality-and-existence-are-reflected-within-the/) [Isak Dinesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isak-dinesen/) > [“The more time you spend with God, the more you will resemble Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/the-more-time-you-spend-with-god-the-more-you-will-resemble-him/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [“A man becomes creative, whether he is an artist or a scientist, when he finds a new unity in the variety of nature. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/a-man-becomes-creative-whether-he-is-an-artist-or-a-scientist-when-he/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## More by Rutherford B. Hayes > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [No person connected with me by blood or marriage will be appointed to office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/no-person-connected-with-me-by-blood-or-marriage-will-be-appointed-to/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The President of the United States should strive to be always mindful of the fact that he serves his party best who serves his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-president-of-the-united-states-should-strive-to-be-always-mindful/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The gloomy theology of the orthodox--the Calvinists--I do not, I cannot believe. Many of the notions--nay, most of the notions--which orthodox people have of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-gloomy-theology-of-the-orthodox-the-calvinists-i-do-not-i-cannot/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Every age has its temptations, its weaknesses, its dangers. Ours is in the line of the snobbish and the sordid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/every-age-has-its-temptations-its-weaknesses-its-dangers-ours-is-in/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Strikes and boycotting are akin to war, and can be justified only on grounds analogous to those which justify war, viz., intolerable injustice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/strikes-and-boycotting-are-akin-to-war-and-can-be-justified-only-on/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The melancholy thing in our public life is the insane desire to get higher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-melancholy-thing-in-our-public-life-is-the-insane-desire-to-get/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [As friends go it is less important to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/as-friends-go-it-is-less-important-to-live/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [ My father and mother in 1817 were forty-nine days on the road with their emigrant wagons \[from Vermont\] to Ohio. More than two days… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/my-father-and-mother-in-1817-were-forty-nine-days-on-the-road-with/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Unjust attacks on public men do them more good than unmerited praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/unjust-attacks-on-public-men-do-them-more-good-than-unmerited-praise/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Nobody ever left the presidency with less regret, less disappointment, fewer heart burnings, or any general content with the result of his term (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nobody-ever-left-the-presidency-with-less-regret-less-disappointment/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [If a liberal policy towards the late Rebels is adopted, the ultra Republicans are opposed to it; if the colored people are honored, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/if-a-liberal-policy-towards-the-late-rebels-is-adopted-the-ultra/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Disunion and civil war are at hand; and yet I fear disunion and war less than compromise. We can recover from them. The free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/disunion-and-civil-war-are-at-hand-and-yet-i-fear-disunion-and-war/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The best religion the world has ever known is the religion of the Bible. It builds up all that is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-best-religion-the-world-has-ever-known-is-the-religion-of-the/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [There is a great deal of strength in Garfield's life and struggles as a self-made man… From poverty and obscurity, by labor at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/there-is-a-great-deal-of-strength-in-garfield-s-life-and-struggles-as/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) [Explore all 129 Rutherford B. Hayes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) ## More Appearance quotes > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [The essence of worldliness is exclusion of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jacobsen/the-essence-of-worldliness-is-exclusion-of-god/) [Henry Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jacobsen/) > [We must, however, note that what are usually called the high religions made their appearance within about twenty-five hundred years - most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-scott-latourette/we-must-however-note-that-what-are-usually-called-the-high-religions/) [Kenneth Scott Latourette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-scott-latourette/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-turning-points-of-lives-are-not-the-great-moments-the-real-crises/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [You can have a nice body, dress with the latest fashion. But if you don't have self-confidence sweetheart, forget about looking sexy, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/you-can-have-a-nice-body-dress-with-the-latest-fashion-but-if-you-don/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [I cannot be convinced that great artists are moralists. Art is first appearances, then meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-cannot-be-convinced-that-great-artists-are-moralists-art-is-first/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themselves-the-world-is-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are one of many appearances of the thing called Life; we are not its perfect image, for it has no perfect image except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/we-are-one-of-many-appearances-of-the-thing-called-life-we-are-not/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [I'm OK with my appearance. I have made my peace with it after a long and frankly exhausting battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/i-m-ok-with-my-appearance-i-have-made-my-peace-with-it-after-a-long/) [Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Appearance records are pretty special. Mine means a lot to me, not only because I love stats, but because it shows that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/appearance-records-are-pretty-special-mine-means-a-lot-to-me-not-only/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) > [Every man would fall in love with their voice, their lovely appearance, but no man would ever get past that. They'd never really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/every-man-would-fall-in-love-with-their-voice-their-lovely-appearance/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I already know what things look like - I don't want description. People believe in appearances, and I don't believe in appearances at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/i-already-know-what-things-look-like-i-don-t-want-description-people/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) [Browse all 2,446 Appearance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He [William Merritt Chase] is, I suspect, getting a very truthful likeness. I would like it better if [it] was not so gray, so cramped about the eyes, and not quite so corpulent. But is this not quarreling with nature?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rutherford B. 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