Autumn Festival 1915

Willard Metcalf built up this autumn scene with small brushstrokes, a mosaic of colours capturing a fleeting moment. I’m drawn to how the texture vibrates; you can almost feel the crisp air and the gentle sway of the trees. The paint isn't overworked, it feels fresh and immediate. Look at how he's rendered the reflections in the water—loose, broken strokes that suggest movement and light. See that lone figure in the boat? It’s a small detail, but it adds a sense of scale, and a feeling of solitude, emphasizing the quiet grandeur of nature. There's a conversation here with artists like Monet, but Metcalf brings his own American sensibility, a love for the landscape and a commitment to capturing its unique qualities. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is never finished, only abandoned, and that each painting is just one possible answer to the questions that artists ask.