Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

An excerpt from Burchfield's Journals gives us access to the origin of this work:

A glorious day packed full of delightful impressions from beginning to end.

Parked at the open fields to the north of the main woods. The moment I landed, I felt at once that it was a special day – brilliant sun, hot dry wind from the southwest blowing of the meadows of bleached grass, asters and golden-rod.

I decided to do a piece featuring the asters and dry grass – almost from the first, the picture took the lead and I had to follow as best I could – and it was difficult to invent rapidly enough the semi-abstract conventionalizations that the power and beauty of the wind, sunlight and sky demanded, worked until 3:00...

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, September 21, 1951

Observers have noted that the "eyes" of the wildflowers and asters in the foreground of this painting simulate the position of musical notes upon a score. Perhaps Burchfield was thinking of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which on one playing at full volume, "so that the room was drenched in sound," he conjured up an image: "The first two movements are earthly; I sensed the joy of rugged wild landscapes with sweeping winds & storm." — Nancy Weekly