Artwork
October
October is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist William Trost Richards. It dates from 1863 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: WM. T. Richards / Phil. 1863
About this work
Technique & Style
William Trost Richards executed October in 1863 using oil paint applied to a canvas support.
William Trost Richards executed October in 1863 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 71.4 cm in height and 61 cm in width. Classified as a landscape painting, the piece was reviewed during an 1864 exhibition where it was noted as being hung too high to be properly studied, though no specific details regarding its physical condition or handling techniques were recorded in contemporary accounts.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1863, the work was likely acquired by Marshall O. Roberts of New York by 1864. Roberts, a wealthy patron who had amassed a collection of over three hundred paintings, lent it that spring to the Art Exhibition at the Metropolitan Fair in Aid of the U.S. Sanitary Commission. After his death, the painting probably appeared in his estate sale at Fifth Avenue Art Galleries in January 1897.
It later entered a private collection in Los Angeles, then passed through dealer Scott Anderson in Los Angeles, who sold it in 2000 to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Godel of Bedford, New York. The Godels sold it on 10 March 2003 to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it remains.
Its exhibition history includes the 1864 Art Exhibition at the Metropolitan Fair in Aid of the U.S. Sanitary Commission, where it was listed as number 80 and lent by M.O. Roberts. It was also exhibited at the Artists' Fund Society in Philadelphia early in 1864, where a review suggests it was among works soon to be returned to their New York owners.
Legacy
Following its sale in 2000 to the Godels, the canvas entered the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C., where it remains as part of the museum's nineteenth-century American landscape holdings. The work's inclusion in a major federal museum has sustained scholarly interest in Richards's output and reinforces the painting's reputation as a representative example of post-Civil War landscape painting. Its earlier exhibition at the 1864 Metropolitan Fair and at the Artists' Fund Society contributed to contemporary recognition, and the subsequent provenance chain, from Marshall O. Roberts to the Godel family, highlights its movement through prominent private collections before public acquisition.
Overview
William Trost Richards's painting, October, created in 1863, captures a vibrant autumnal forest landscape. Executed in oil on canvas, this work exemplifies the artist's dedication to depicting natural scenery with precision. The composition invites viewers into a detailed woodland environment, characteristic of his engagement with American landscape traditions during the mid-19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a dense woodland bathed in the rich hues of autumn. Trees dominate the scene, their foliage ablaze with yellow, orange, and red tones, signaling the seasonal transition. A winding path guides the eye deeper into the forest, while the foreground is anchored by substantial rocks and varied plant life, rendered with close attention to natural forms and textures.
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