Olive Trees by Vincent Van Gogh

About the Artwork
Olive Trees (1889) is one of a series of paintings Van Gogh dedicated to the ancient olive groves surrounding the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Fascinated by the gnarled, twisting forms of the trees and the way their silvery leaves shimmered in the Provençal light, he returned to the subject repeatedly throughout his stay. The composition pulsates with energy — the undulating trunks and restless brushwork give the trees an almost human expressiveness, set against rolling hills and a vivid sky. Van Gogh saw the olive trees as deeply symbolic, writing to his brother Theo that they represented "something old and enduring" in the southern landscape. Several versions of this subject are now held in major collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh.

About the Artist
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter whose work, though largely unrecognised during his lifetime, went on to profoundly influence 20th-century art. Born in Zundert, Netherlands, he produced over 2,100 artworks in just a decade — including around 860 oil paintings — marked by bold colours, expressive brushwork, and an emotional honesty rarely seen before. Struggling with mental illness throughout his adult life, Van Gogh channelled his anguish and wonder into canvases that today rank among the most celebrated and valuable in the world.