William Chadwick was one of the early members of the Old Lyme Art Colony who, under the influence of Childe Hassam, established the town as the epicenter of American Impressionism. Born in England, Chadwick moved with his parents to Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 1882. After graduating from high school, he relocated to New York City and enrolled in the Art Students League, studying with John Henry Twachtman (1853-1902), George Bridgman (1865-1943), and Joseph DeCamp (1858-1923). In 1901, he traveled to Europe, and spent a significant amount of time studying architecture and visiting museums in Rome. The following year, Chadwick made his first visit to Old Lyme. For the rest of the artist’s career, he frequently revisited the picturesque town and eventually purchased a home there in 1915. He remained in Old Lyme until his death in 1962.