The artwork titled “Autumn Leaves” was created by John Everett Millais between 1855 and 1856. This oil on canvas painting measures 73.7 by 104.1 cm and is representative of the Romanticism art movement. The painting falls under the genre of genre painting and is currently housed in the Manchester Art Gallery in Manchester, UK.
In the artwork, four young girls are depicted collecting and arranging autumn leaves into a pile. The girls are dressed in dark, somber Victorian attire, which contrasts with the vibrant and varied colors of the fallen leaves they are gathering. The background showcases a tranquil landscape bathed in the soft light of twilight, with a fading sunset casting a warm glow across the scene. The expressions of the girls range from focused engagement with their task to solemn introspection, adding a contemplative mood to the composition. The painterly textures and meticulous detail in the foliage demonstrate Millais’s proficiency in capturing the ephemeral beauty of nature.
