Stacks of Wheat (End of Day, Autumn)

The painting Stacks of Wheat (End of Day, Autumn) was executed by the foundational French artist, Claude Monet, between 1890 and 1891. This oil on canvas is one of approximately 25 works in the celebrated Haystacks series, representing a pivotal moment in the development of Impressionism. Monet moved beyond singular depictions of nature, employing serial exploration to study how specific light conditions and atmospheric changes fundamentally altered the appearance of the same subject. The piece exemplifies Monet's mature technique, characterized by broken brushwork and an intense focus on transient color and illumination.

This particular canvas captures the effect of the fading light as autumn dusk settles over the fields near the artist's home in Giverny, France. The massive cylindrical stacks dominate the composition, rendered in warm oranges, deep blues, and violet shadows, reflecting the low sun. Monet was intensely concerned with capturing the fleeting nature of time; here, the "End of Day" atmosphere is achieved through heavy impasto and a sophisticated palette designed to simulate the specific low-light colors of the season. His commitment to depicting momentary perception makes this series a touchstone of 19th-century French painting.

The Haystacks series proved immensely popular, cementing Monet’s reputation during the high point of Impressionism. Today, this definitive example of his serial method resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a landmark work created during the period of high Impressionism (c. 1860–1890s), the image of Stacks of Wheat (End of Day, Autumn) is widely studied and reproduced. High-quality prints of this work are frequently made available through various art institutions, often entering the public domain to allow for wider scholarship and appreciation of this French masterwork.