Copy of a painting entitled "L'Automne," by J.F. Millet 1845 - 1909

Editor: Here we have Alfred-Ernest Robaut's "Copy of a painting entitled 'L'Automne,' by J.F. Millet," dating from 1845 to 1909. It's a drawing, a print made with pencil, and currently held at The Met. It strikes me as quite bleak; the figure is alone and the tree looks barren. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Bleak, yes, but also evocative. It's like Robaut, channeling Millet, has captured the very *breath* of autumn. Do you notice how the starkness of the landscape makes the foraging turkeys appear almost…precious? Like tiny sparks of life refusing to surrender to the coming winter? The lone figure, perhaps, is less isolated and more…contemplative. Thinking about the harvest. Thinking about their place in it all. Almost at one with nature! Editor: I see what you mean about the turkeys. There is a certain...vitality...in them that I missed at first. Still, the overall tone feels melancholy. Is that figure meant to represent someone specific? Curator: Not necessarily a specific person, but perhaps an embodiment of rural life itself, facing the turning seasons, with just a touch of spiritual contemplation. He is almost stoic, yes? Are we alone in the world, or are we always part of something much greater? Perhaps, in the simple act of observation, Robaut invites us to consider such notions. Millet certainly did. Editor: That makes sense. I was so focused on the somber elements that I missed that sense of connection. Curator: Art has that power, doesn't it? To trick us at first, then to offer, after a little contemplation, a small gem of truth. It feels good to know it’s there. Editor: Absolutely. I’ll definitely be thinking about "L'Automne" differently now. Thanks for shedding some light.