The Willows in Fall

I had painted the carriage house at the Willows a previous summer. My wife said that I should paint the main house, but I viewed it on a dreary fall day, and didn't like the light. I instead went to the duck pond and started the painting of the house from the rear.

It started to rain, and was forced to leave, but I returned the next day. By late afternoon, the house was completely in shade, but sunlight hit the changing leaves and the fountains.

When I returned home, my wife was surprised at my painting because of the lack of emphasis on the building. My answer was that the painting was more about the fall day than the building.