A potato harvest in the French countryside occupies the foreground of October, painted in 1878 by Jules Bastien-Lepage. Two figures, one kneeling to gather potatoes and the other stooping with a full basket, dominate the composition. Their clothing is rendered in subdued earth tones, blending with the muted browns and greens of the cultivated field.

The sky, filled with heavy clouds, suggests the cool, overcast weather of autumn. This work is characteristic of late nineteenth-century French naturalist painting, which often depicted rural labor and everyday life with precise observation. Jules Bastien-Lepage was known for his focus on peasant subjects, using a detailed, almost photographic technique. Painted in oil on canvas, October exemplifies the artist’s attention to natural light and the textures of soil, fabric, and vegetation.

The painting is in the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.