10 Autumn Activities Inspired by Impressionist Paintings

It may be because of the colorfulness of autumn, or because of its sense of renewal, that this season became one of the most “paintable.” And of course, the Impressionists knew it well! In their ambition to capture nature in all its forms, they offer us a magnificent repertoire of autumnal views.

As we want you to make the most of this season, we want to suggest some autumnal activities to enjoy.

1. Pick Some Fresh Fruit

Autumn is by far the “fruitiest” season. For me, it is also synonymous with delicious food and marks a time when nature overflows with abundance. Inspired by Renoir, we encourage you to grab your baskets and fill them with some fresh, healthy fruits. Just look at the beautiful contrast between the orange and brown leaves and the blues of the autumnal sky in The Pear Tree. 

2. Go River Sailing

Yes, this may sound as a typically summer activity, but, following the example of the king of Impressionists, Claude Monet, there’s no better season than autumn to enjoy nature in all its colorful splendor! In his obsession of capturing the moment and painting en plein air, Monet even had a boat that he transformed into a floating studio. He used it to study the reflection of light on the surface of the Seine. In this painting, with his characteristic quick brushstrokes, he doesn’t define the contours of the trees, but rather forms them through splashes of color.

3. Take Some Painting Classes

Let the colors of autumn inspire you and set your creativity free. In this stunning watercolor, Impressionist Berthe Morisot captures the season’s rich hues in a medium she rarely used. Following the Impressionist plein-air tradition, she ventured into the Bois de Boulogne to seize the fleeting effects of light and color in this wonderfully sketch-like work.

4. Spend a Day at the Farm

Autumn is the time for harvesting and gathering the fruits of the earth. There is no better place to be in touch with nature than a farm. Following the example of the Impressionist painter Alfred Sisley, wake up early in the morning and be prepared for a rewarding day of hard work at the farm!

Look how wonderfully Sisley depicts the orange leaves of trees in the foreground, while some others have already lost theirs. In the background, we can see two peasants working and some haystacks left from the summer harvest.

5. Time to Go Back to School

Yep, I am sorry for the post-holiday blues this may bring. After a long, lazy summer it’s time to get back to routine.

In this painting, Camille Pissarro depicts a well-known private college in the suburbs of London. The slightly crooked trees in the foreground contrast with the building’s horizontal lines. The yellow foliage and the soft brown tones of the architecture evoke the warmth of autumn. Pissarro playfully creates shadows and reflections upon the water’s surface, while subtly suggesting a feminine figure with a quick brushstroke.

6. Go Travelling

As the weather cools, Autumn is the perfect time to travel!

The Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla knew this well when he visited Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso, one of the residences of the Spanish royal family in Segovia. Even though Sorolla is best-known as the painter of Mediterranean light and celebrated for his sunlit summer landscapes and bathing scenes, here he surprises us with something different. This depiction of the gardens of La Granja was painted on an autumn day. The warm colors stand out against the cloudy sky in the background.

7. Go for a Stroll in the Woods

Autumn is the perfect time to get back in shape and recover after the summer indulgences. And what better way to move and breathe in some fresh air than with a stroll through the forest? So get off the sofa and let’s go!

In this charming painting—almost like a photograph—Renoir catches a glimpse of a walk in the forest on a luminous autumn day. He portrays his friend, fellow painter Jules Le Coeur, and his furry four-legged friends in the Forest of Fontainebleau. The forest was a popular destination for the Impressionists and the setting for many of their works.

8. Get Mysterious

Because autumn is, without any doubt, the season of mystery!

Alfred Sisley creates an enveloping, somber landscape—full of mystery and the melancholy typical of autumn. The composition is built using different shades of gray, with quick brushstrokes that evoke the sensation of wind. The barren trees, stripped of their leaves, twist and turn, as if trying to escape the frame, adding movement and dynamism to the scene.

9. Enjoy the Rain

After the dryness of summer, let’s enjoy the rainy season!

Here’s something different on our list: an autumnal urban scene. After spending most of his life in the countryside, Camille Pissarro moved to the city for health reasons. But that did not stop him from painting. He captures the atmosphere of rain in Paris on an autumnal gray day in this work.

10. Reflect and Contemplate

Autumn is a season of new beginnings, a time to reflect on what we leave behind and what lies ahead.

Perhaps the figure sitting on the bench in a square in Argenteuil is also reflecting, or simply admiring the beauty of the autumn colors. Gustave Caillebotte captures the seasonal change, with some trees already showing their autumn leaves while others remain green. He masterfully portrays the warm autumn light filtering through the foliage.

We hope our selection of Impressionist autumn paintings has inspired you to make the most of this colorful season!