Van Gogh's Provençal Obsession: Cypress and Olive Trees in Paintings
Between 1889 and 1890, Vincent van Gogh resided at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where he painted olive trees and cypresses, which he considered representative of the area. In correspondence with his brother Theo, he likened them to willows found in the Netherlands. Van Gogh produced many olive grove artworks, captivated by their hues and shapes. Pieces such as "Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the background" display dynamic lines and strong outlines. Cypress trees are depicted in "Cypresses" and "Wheatfield with Cypresses," showcasing a striking contrast of dark greens against yellow fields. His final painting of a Provençal cypress, "Country road in Provence by night" (1890), features a cypress beneath a crescent moon.
Key facts
- Van Gogh lived at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in 1889-90.
- He compared olive tree and cypress to the willow in the Netherlands in a letter to Theo.
- Olive trees thrived in arid Provençal terrain and Van Gogh painted many olive groves.
- He struggled to capture olive tree colors: silver, blue, greenish, bronzed, whitening.
- Cypress was described as 'the dark patch in a sun-drenched landscape'.
- 'Wheatfield with Cypresses' (1889) is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
- 'The Starry Night' (1889) features a cypress tree and was painted from his asylum window.
- 'Country road in Provence by night' (1890) is his last cypress painting in Provence.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Kröller-Müller Museum
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- National Gallery, London
- Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- Van Gogh Museum
Locations
- Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
- Provence
- Netherlands
- Minneapolis
- London
- Kansas City
- Otterlo
- New York
- Amsterdam