An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Olive Trees1889
Artist: Vincent van Gogh
Dutch, 1853 - 1890
Landscape of grove of olive trees and their cast shadows in foreground, mountain looms in background, intense sun and dazzling light dominates the sky. No signature.
29 x 36 1/2 in. (73.66 x 92.71 cm) (canvas)
39 3/4 x 47 x 3 1/2 in. (100.97 x 119.38 x 8.89 cm) (outer frame)
46 3/8 in. (117.79 cm) (diagonal)
28 1/2 x 36 in. (72.39 x 91.44 cm) (sight)
Oil on canvas
Painting
Netherlands
19th century
The William Hood Dunwoody Fund
In the golden embrace of autumn, a canvas comes alive, cradled by the hands of Vincent van Gogh. This artwork is part of a larger tapestry—fifteen canvases, to be precise—each depicting the stately olive trees that stood as silent witnesses to the artist's profound journey.
The year was 1889, a turning point in the life of van Gogh. Earlier that year, seeking solace and clarity, he made the decision to intern himself at the St-Paul asylum in the quaint town of St-Rémy, nestled in the sun-drenched hills of southern France. It was here, amidst the whispers of olive branches and the rustle of leaves, that he poured his heart and soul onto the canvas.
With vibrant strokes of orange and yellow, he invited the season’s warmth into his art, creating a scene that seemed to pulse with the very essence of autumn. Each brushstroke echoed a journey of struggle and serenity, capturing the fleeting beauty of nature in the midst of personal chaos.
As the leaves turned, so did the pages of van Gogh's life. In May 1890, he ventured away from the asylum’s walls, just beyond the horizon to Auvers, a village near Paris. It was here that his creative spirit burned brightly, illuminating the canvas with visions born of both hope and heartache.
Tragically, this burst of life would be short-lived. By July, his chapter would close in darkness, silenced by his own hand. But even in that final stroke, the legacy of those olive trees, adorned with light and color, would resonate through time, whispering tales of beauty, struggle, and the indomitable spirit of an artist deeply in tune with the world around him.
About the artist
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