Autumn

This is one of Frederick Sandys' most ambitious paintings. It depicts an old soldier reclining on the grass. The soldier is wearing the uniform of the West Norfolk Militia battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment; his medal ribbons show that he took part in the Sutlej and Punjab campaigns (1845-6 and 1848-9) during the Anglo-Sikh Wars. Behind him are his young wife and child wearing concerned expressions; an explanation for this may be the painting's title, which hints at the soldier's advancing age. This man could just be seen as enjoying well-earned retirement, though his pensive look could suggest more ambiguous emotions. His uniform evokes his military past, worlds away from family life in Norwich.

The north side of Norwich's Bishop Bridge is depicted in the background. The landscape behind is imaginary although inspired by real Norwich landmarks such as Mousehold Heath, which can be seen from the south side of the bridge instead.