Artwork
October Day
October Day is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Jean Charles Cazin. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Charles Cazin’s 1892 oil on canvas entitled *October Day* presents a tranquil rural scene. The composition is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago and measures a modest size that invites close viewing of its subdued palette and atmospheric depth.
Subject & Meaning
A narrow lane winds through pale, cultivated fields beneath a muted, overcast sky. A solitary woman in a long skirt walks away from the viewer, her back turned, clutching a modest bundle of sticks. The painting captures a moment of quiet passage, leaving her narrative open to interpretation.
Technique & Style
Cazin achieved the work’s soft, luminous quality through a prolonged process of applying multiple thin glazes of oil. Over the course of three years he built up layers that render the misty light and delicate tonal transitions characteristic of his restrained, naturalistic approach.
History & Provenance
Created in the early 1890s, the canvas entered the Art Institute of Chicago’s holdings in the early twentieth century, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in French landscape painting of the late nineteenth century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Charles Cazin was a French landscapist, museum curator and ceramicist.
