End of Autumn, No. 4

1952

End of Autumn, No. 4, 1952. Georges Rouault (French, 1871–1958). Oil on canvas; framed: 103.5 x 134.6 x 11.4 cm (40 3/4 x 53 x 4 1/2 in.); unframed: 75 x 105.4 cm (29 1/2 x 41 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul H. Sampliner 1964.161 © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris Rouault, often associated with Expressionism and Fauvism, art movements that emphasized an emotional interpretation of subjects, stands out among avant-garde artists for placing his Christian faith at the center of his art. He painted this autumn landscape six years before his death. Figures wander in a broad landscape beneath a glowing sky, evoking associations with the biblical flight into Egypt. The jewel-like greens, blues, reds, and yellows encased in strong, dark lines reflect his early training as a stained glass window painter. At the age of fourteen, Rouault worked as an apprentice to a glass painter and medieval window restorer. This early life experience is said to be the source of the heavy black lines that characterize his style.