Autumn in Art and Literature Close your eyes and think of Autumn. Almost certainly, it is the russet and gold colours of Autumn leaves which come to mind. But in John Keats’ Ode to Autumn there is not a single mention of leaves. Instead, there are wonderful descriptions of many of the other characteristics of Autumn, from ripening apples ready for the cider press to swelling gourds and bees feasting on the late flowers. The first line is one of the most memorable in English poetry : “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”. One of the joys of Autumn is relishing the last warm days before the chill of Winter. The bees think that the warm days will last forever but the “wailful choir” of gnats and the bleat of fullygrown lambs suggest the change in weather which will come. We have all seen the departure of the swallows and house martins, whose arrival has heralded the arrival of summer. Now, the “gathering swallows twitter in the sky” as they prepare for their long journey south. Keats composed Ode to Autumn as he walked along the river from Winchester to St. Cross. It is one of the so-called “Great Odes” which include Ode to a Nightingale and Ode on a Grecian Urn. They were published in 1820 when Keats was just 24. The following year he travelled to Rome hoping that the Mediterranean air would
cure his consumption. Sadly, he was dead within weeks. If he had survived to a greater age, we can only imagine the sort of work he would have produced. He was insecure about his own literary merit and uncertain whether his poems would survive him. He asked for his grave in Rome to be inscribed “Here lies one whose name was writ in water”. He need have had no doubts: he is one of the great poets of the English language. To complete this short series on The Seasons in Art and Literature, I have chosen another painting by Peter Bruegel the Elder. You may remember the cold greys and whites of Bruegel’s Hunters in the Snow. In the autumnal The Harvest, owned by the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the rich yellows and ochres fill the painting with warmth. You can almost feel the tiredness of the harvesters after a hard day of scything and binding sheaves. On the right of the picture, a woman gathers ripe apples. In the distance, boats are sailing to unknown destinations. The church, partially hidden behind a tree, is an important part of the lives of the hard-working peasants. This is the last of our four pieces on the Seasons. Juliet and I hope that you have enjoyed them. Tim Pattinson
St Mar y the Virgin Church yard Clear U p 9. 30 » 12 . 30 Saturday 16 t h Oc to b e r 20
The Dever–October 2021
