This vibrant pastel, signed by Berthe Des Clayes, captures the splendour of an autumn day in the Canadian countryside. Tall maples dominate the scene, their leaves turning brilliant shades of gold and warm orange, fluttering against a high, powder-blue sky streaked with soft, drifting clouds. The atmosphere is fresh and sunlit—crisp yet gentle, embodying that moment in early autumn when summer warmth still lingers in the air.

A narrow grassy track leads the viewer’s eye into the composition, where a horse-drawn cart moves quietly through the clearing. The figures are small and understated, reinforcing the sense of scale and the majesty of the landscape. Evergreen trees anchor the horizon behind the glowing foliage, their deep greens contrasting beautifully with the bright autumn tones.

Des Clayes’ pastel handling is confident and lively: quick strokes, broken colour, and layered texture evoke shimmering light and movement. Grass in the foreground is rendered in loose, impressionistic marks, suggesting dappled sunlight and a gentle breeze stirring the meadow.

The result is a scene full of charm and rural tranquillity—an ode to the Canadian landscape at its most poetic, where nature’s transformation is captured with warmth, immediacy, and painterly sensitivity.