L’ Automne c. 1864

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes’ *L’Automne*, painted around 1864, depicts three women in a landscape setting symbolizing the season of autumn. The women's poses and the presence of fruit and fallen leaves are all evocative of the season's bounty and the passage of time. Chavannes’ use of muted colors and hazy outlines create a dreamlike quality, characteristic of his Symbolist style. The figures appear almost ethereal, blending into the background. The work, often considered a masterpiece of the artist's oeuvre, is an example of Puvis de Chavannes's interest in classical themes and mythological allegory.