October Day 1890 - 1893

Jean-Charles Cazin created "October Day," an oil on canvas, which now resides at the Art Institute of Chicago. Dominating the composition is a heavy, muted palette, a symphony of grays and browns that evoke a distinct melancholic mood. Notice the sky, an oppressive blanket of grey that seems to weigh down upon the landscape. The buildings, rendered with a coarse texture, appear almost to be emerging from the very earth. Cazin was known for his exploration of tonalism, an artistic style characterized by soft, muted colors, and a focus on atmospheric effects to create a sense of mood. The rough brushstrokes and earthy tones challenge conventional beauty. The painting destabilizes the picturesque landscapes typically favoured. Instead, Cazin offers a vision of the everyday, where the boundary between the human and natural realms is intriguingly blurred. The ambiguity inherent in the scene—its quietness—invites us to contemplate the silent stories held within its form.