Autumn Remains

In Autumn Remains, a cat skull lies cradled by the crumbling vibrancy of dried fall leaves—remnants of two forms of quiet departure. This still life speaks to the seasonal poetry of endings, where color persists even as life retreats. The saturated reds and ochres of the foliage echo the final blaze of autumn, while the skull offers a softened memento of mortality.

This piece continues my exploration of vanitas themes: the passage of time, the ephemeral beauty of the natural world, and the haunting dignity found in decay. The cat—an animal so often associated with mystery, independence, and intuition—adds another layer of symbolic resonance to the scene.

Painted with intimate attention and a subdued chiaroscuro palette, Autumn Remains invites reflection not just on death, but on what lingers afterward: memory, ritual, and the strange elegance of the inevitable.

Framed as shown in a simple, elegant black frame. Ready to hang.