It’s officially faaaaaaalllllll! I love fall so much it makes me want to say things like “It’s fall, y’all!” and “Falling into fall!” I am giddy with the promise of orange leaves, pumpkin spice, autumny gnomes, Halloween costume preparation, and apple cider mimosas. Fall is my birthday season, ArtPrize season, and full-on, “there’s-no-turning-back-now” hockey season. It’s sweatshirts and potato soup, cozy flannels and impossibly bright trees. Fall is dreamy.
This season gives me all the warm, familiar feels, but I want to highlight some artists I was not previously familiar with. First up is Egon Schiele and his perfectly autumn-esque painting of Four Trees. If you already know Schiele and are panicking right now, let me say this: I will not post his other work! I don’t like it, for one thing. For another thing, there are some kids that read this blog for pity’s sake. And Schiele? Is not a kid-friendly artist. His portraits are disturbing (in the same way video art disturbs me. Like, I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy it.) But man, did he get it right with these trees. At first, the trees make me a little sad, but in a good way. Then! Before I get too melancholy, the sky cheers me right up.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.juliemlmitchell.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/four-trees.jpg?resize=620%2C484&ssl=1)
Another painter I was not familiar with, but who made a lovely fall painting is Yokoyama Taikan. His Autumn Leaves doesn’t invoke the same fallish feel, but I love it nonetheless. Taikan was an accomplished artist and led an interesting life (teaser: his dad was an actual samurai!). Someday, let’s do a post dedicated solely to Taikan, who was fascinating enough to have his brain preserved at the University of Tokyo Medical School.
![](https://i2.wp.com/www.juliemlmitchell.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/autumn-leaves.jpg?resize=620%2C138&ssl=1)
In keeping with the theme within the theme, this next fall painting was also done by a painter I did not know before. This is the most modern of the three paintings, completed in 1989 by Li Keran. (The title could not be more descriptive: Red Over the Mountains as if the Forests are Dyed.) I didn’t stand a chance with this painting. The forest looks like it’s on glorious, leafy fire and there’s a waterfall to boot?! I’m a sucker for a waterfall. The painting was inspired by a poem by Mao Zedong. It is not nearly as famous as the painting. Keran achieved that blazing red by mixing minerals like cinnabar into his paint. Mission accomplished- that red is overachieving!
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.juliemlmitchell.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/red-over-the-mountains.jpg?resize=494%2C818&ssl=1)
Thank you for reading along as I gush about fall. Here’s to a season that is extra snuggly, full of chili cook-offs, and brimming with brisk tailgating parties!