Artwork
An October Day
An October Day is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Frank Knox Morton Rehn. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1896 by American marine artist Frank Knox Morton Rehn, *An October Day* is an oil painting that depicts a restless sea beneath a muted sky. The canvas is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s permanent collection, offering a glimpse into late‑19th‑century coastal scenery rendered through a distinctly American lens.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on a turbulent ocean surface, where rolling waves clash with pale light. Distant, indistinct mountain forms recede into the horizon, suggesting a vast, open landscape. The work conveys the fleeting atmosphere of an early autumn day, emphasizing nature’s vigor and the subtle shift in seasonal light.
Technique & Style
Rehn employs a vigorous brushstroke that leaves the paint raised from the ground, a method known as impasto, which gives the sea a tactile, almost sculptural presence. The palette of deep blues and stark whites, applied in uneven, swift strokes, aligns the piece with the American Impressionist tendency toward loose handling and an emphasis on fleeting illumination.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view. Rehn, who later served as president of the Salmagundi Club, produced the work during a period when American artists were increasingly adopting Impressionist techniques to depict domestic subjects.
Context
*An October Day* reflects the broader trend of American Impressionism in the 1890s, a movement that adapted French brushwork and light studies to local landscapes and seascapes. Rehn’s focus on marine subjects places him among a cohort of painters who sought to capture the atmospheric qualities of the Atlantic and Great Lakes coasts.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Frank Knox Morton Rehn (April 12, 1848 – July 7, 1914) was an American marine painter, and president of the Salmagundi Club.
