In the foreground of the painting, there is a swamp in the shade. Its water reflects the sky and trees growing on a mossy shore. In the background, there is an illuminated clearing surrounded by golden and crimson trees against a cloudy sky. This is a well-known work by Julius Klever, a painter who represented late academic art.

Julius Yulievich Klever was a landscape painter, an honorary member and professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts. He was born in Dorpat (now Tartu). He was fond of drawing as a child and had a natural talent for it, but his parents felt that pursuing a career in art was not the most practical option. They decided to compromise and sent him to study architecture at the Academy of Arts instead. However, Julius Klever did not feel at home there and transferred to the landscape class a year later.

There, Julius Klever argued with his teachers, Sokrat Vorobyov and Mikhail Clodt. He received small and grand silver medals for his studies painted from life, but despite his academic success, he rarely attended classes and was soon expelled. However, the artist’s career continued to develop rapidly and successfully.

In 1871, his painting “The Abandoned Cemetery in Winter” was praised by art connoisseurs and was purchased by Count Pavel Stroganov, an influential member of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. Shortly after, his other painting “Sunset” was purchased by Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, President of the Academy of Arts. After this, Julius Klever took a bold step by organizing a solo exhibition at the stands of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. Before him, only a few prominent painters had done so in St. Petersburg, including Vasily Vereshchagin and Ivan Aivazovsky. Back then, Julius Klever was only 24 years old.

In 1876, the artist organized his second exhibition where he displayed forty works — ten paintings and thirty studies. One of these paintings, titled “Birch Forest”, was acquired by Emperor Alexander II. As a result, Julius Klever was awarded the title of class artist of the first degree although it was usually given only to the best students of the Academy of Arts.

Two years later, in 1878, Julius Klever became an honorary member of the Academy for his painting “View of the Neglected Park in Marienburg”. In 1881, he was awarded the title of professor. “Autumn” from the collection of the National Gallery of the Komi Republic was also created during that period.