The Cadence of Autumn 1905

Evelyn De Morgan made this painting of elegant figures, probably in oil paint, though I don’t see any brushstrokes. The scene seems to float in its own world, with the same kind of weightless feeling as a dream. I imagine Evelyn De Morgan, with her long flowing sleeves, mixing the soft colors on her palette, choosing each color with care to create these draped figures. She paints thin layer upon thin layer, so each area of the painting is built up, so light shines from within. I wonder if she listened to music while she painted? De Morgan seems to be in conversation with other painters, all trying to capture the elusive qualities of light, atmosphere, and feeling. The way she paints drapery is particularly beautiful. It is hard to make folds of fabric interesting, but she finds a way, and creates a world of suspended animation, where everything is graceful.