“Stop and observe how light transforms a simple subject. This painting is one of a series where Monet captured the same stacks of wheat at different times of day and in various seasons, making you see the passage of time through color.”
This painting, "Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer)", captures the fleeting light of a late afternoon. The monumental stack of wheat, a common sight in the French countryside after harvest, dominates the canvas, its rough texture suggested by thick, energetic brushstrokes. The low sun casts long shadows, painting the stack in warm golds and oranges on one side, while the other falls into cool, deep blues and purples. The sky, a vibrant blend of yellow and pink, reflects the day's last light, suggesting the transition from summer into autumn. This work is part of a series where the artist explored how light and atmosphere transform the same subject at different times of day and across seasons, inviting viewers to truly observe the subtle shifts in nature.
- Artist
- Claude Monet
- Date
- 1891
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Observe the rough, textured brushstrokes that build the wheat stack.
Notice the long, cool blue shadow stretching from the stack.
See the pink and yellow hues in the sky, reflecting the setting sun.
Look for the distinct color variations on the stack itself, from warm to cool.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer) — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Claude Monet
1840–1926 · FranceClaude Monet, the visionary founder of Impressionism, transformed how we see light and nature, famously capturing the same scene repeatedly to reveal fleeting moments.
Further Works by Monet
The Beach at Sainte-Adresse
1867 · Art Institute of Chicago
On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt
1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Artist's House at Argenteuil
1873 · Art Institute of Chicago
Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare
1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Apples and Grapes
1880 · Art Institute of Chicago
Cliff Walk at Pourville
1882 · Art Institute of Chicago
Bordighera
1884 · Art Institute of Chicago
Rocks at Port-Goulphar, Belle-Île
1886 · Art Institute of Chicago
More from Impressionism
Young Spartan Girls Challenging Boys
Degas · 1860 · Art Institute of Chicago
Alfred Sisley
Renoir · 1864 · Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection
Sea View, Calm Weather (Vue de mer, temps calme)
Manet · 1864 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Banks of the Marne in Winter
Pissarro · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
More works to explore
Beyond Monet and Impressionism: works from the same years.
Same era · 1870s–1900s
A Woman Walking in a Garden
Vincent van Gogh · 1887 · Frans Buffa & sons
Same era · 1870s–1900s
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884
Okada Saburosuke · 1884 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Madame Léon Clapisson
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1883 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Still Life with Crayfish
Mikhail Larionov · 1900 · Museum Ludwig
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Paris Street; Rainy Day
Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Frauenkopf vor Sonnenblumen
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1906 · Museum Frieder Burda
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Te raau rahi (The Big Tree)
Paul Gauguin · 1891 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Young Girl with Hat
Berthe Morisot · 1891 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Haymaking at Éragny
Camille Pissarro · 1892 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Rocks at Fontainebleau
Paul Cézanne · 1890 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Street in Moret
Alfred Sisley · 1890 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
The Streetwalker
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1890 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
