The Rainbow in Landscapes

 In the late 1700’s and on into the 1800’s, landscape paintings began to become popular in the realm of art. This rise of landscape paintings comes from the romanticism movement. Artists during this time were interested in the sublime. This meant that their main focus was to make the viewer feel small. This is the emotion that artists were trying to get out of their viewers. The subject matter of the romanticism landscape artists were of nature. A lot of the scenes in the landscapes are dramatic with storms and tall mountains rising above the horizon. Some have a lot of depth so the viewer can look out into the painting endlessly. Also, many of the scenes the artist would paint weren’t real. The artist would paint them on how they envision them to be. Some were based on a real place, but were dramatized. Since romanticism landscape paintings were dramatized, one way that artists would do this would be to include rainbows with storms. A lot of landscape work comes from Europe with artists such as Simon Denis, Vincent Jansz. van der Vinne, Joseph Anton Koch, and John Glover. American artists such as Frederic Edwin Church and George Inness also painted landscapes. All of these artists have painted landscapes that involve storms and the use of the rainbow in the scenes to create a dramatic effect in the artwork.

Simon Denis

Landscape Near Rome During a Storm

ca. 1786–1806

oil on paper

accession number 2009.400.41

Denis uses depth and color in this painting to invoke emotions in the viewer. Denis uses color by having a rainbow right beside a dark rainstorm. The light from the sun on the ground points us to looking at this rainbow amongst the storm. Also, if we notice on the bottom left part of the painting, we see two horsemen. This gives us a scale for how large this scene actually is. Also, we can tell this scene isn’t painted from an actual occurrence, because of the way the storm is moving and the way the rainbow is reflecting is scientifically wrong. This just shows how romanticism artists painted landscapes to show a dramatic effect and not to represent the real world.

Vincent Jansz. van der Vinne

Landscape with a Rainbow over a Farmhouse and Distant Village

no date

watercolor over black chalk

accession number 2002.78

The rainbow in this painting stands out as it doesn’t really blend well with the composure of the rest of the painting. We can notice how the colors against the clouds are more prominent than that of the blue sky behind it. Also, the colors of the rainbow are inverted from how a normal rainbow would be seen. This correlates to how landscape paintings aren’t from the real world, but are a creation of the artist. There is depth to the painting with the buildings in the background being small. The viewer may look at this painting, and the rainbow is what would stick out most to them because of the color against the overall hue of the painting. The dark clouds in the background dramatize the overall scene. 

Joseph Anton Koch

Heroic Landscape with Rainbow

1824

oil on canvas

accession number: 2008.420

This painting was inspired by a Greece scene that Joseph Anton Koch saw. This painting has a lot of depth to it, and evokes a sense to the viewer of being small in comparison to the landscape. In the distance we can see how the storm is moving out away from the town. Based on science, the rainbow isn’t natural in this scene, but the purpose is to provide emotion to the viewer. The storm and dark hues in color dramatize the scene, and the rainbow emphasizes it. 

John Glover

The Rainbow

1794

watercolor over graphite

accession number: 2002.424

This painting doesn’t have as much depth, but the bright color of the rainbow draws our attention to it. This painting, we can’t see the colors of the rainbow, but we can understand that it is one. The space in this painting is shallow compared to most landscape paintings during this time. The rainbow in the painting is a double rainbow. Also, there is a lot of blue sky showing, making the dramatic scene more so on the foreground of the dark shrubbery and moving creek.

Frederic Edwin Church

The Aegean Sea

ca. 1877

oil on canvas

accession number: 02.23

This painting is done a bit later than the other paintings previously mentioned, as this is done in America. This is a painting of the Aegean sea. It, like many other landscape paintings, are based on what Frederic has seen but not entirely a painting of one shot. The depth in the painting gives us an understanding of how small we are as people in the world. The dramatic scene of the big fluffy clouds in the background with the double rainbow and light from the sun points our eyes to the rainbow with his use of light in color. The mountain side on the left of the painting is dark and takes up a lot of space in the scene. It is dramatic in content all over the painting, but is more calming near the middle where the rainbow shines and it is bright.  

George Inness

Delaware Water Gap

1861

oil on canvas

accession number: 32.151

This painting, like the others mentioned, has depth and the use of a rainbow as its subject. The horizon is tall and the clouds are heavier in the background. The rainbow is bright in color compared to the rest of the painting. The view of the Delaware water gap is dramatized by the rainbow and storm looming over it. The painting gives the viewer the sense of being small by how the boat in the middle of the water gap has people on it and is so small in comparison to the physical landscape. The dramatic scene in this painting is in the background as if it is moving away from us.

 

Ahead of the curve: Artists who used science to perfect their work

Across history, we have seen science and technology advance at great speeds. The two times when this growth was most notable were the Renaissance, between the 14^th and 17^th centuries, and the Industrial Revolution, between 1760 and 1820-40. Most of the advancements in both fields allowed for improvements in different areas of expertise, such as mathematics, chemistry, and engineering. Naturally, art benefited from these advancements as well. While not all artists took advantage of the most recent discoveries of those times, there were some who saw the possibility of improving their craft. Some did it by applying new research to their pieces, and others employed new inventions and technologies to improve the quality of their technique. Whether it was to cause a reaction, accurately depict nature, or paint from a different perspective, the use of science allowed these artists to create works of art never seen before. 

Rembrandt van Rjin, Self Portrait, 1659, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art

Rembrandt is known for his portraits, but what isn’t as widely known is how he used mirrors to paint from a new perspective. While there are no records that confirm this with absolute certainty, the are many reasons to believe that Rembrandt could have used these, such as the technology having been discovered at the time, and Rembrandt having access to these mirrors. In this self-portrait, the artist’s hands are clasped together; this position could have only been done if seen through a mirror. It would’ve been almost impossible to recreate it from memory!

Rembrandt van Rjin, Self Portrait with open eyes, 1630, etching, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

In this self-portrait, Rembrandt holds a striking expression with open eyes and pursed lips. Researchers Francis O’Neill and Sofia Palazzo Corner claim that he was able to etch it so well thanks to his perspective from a mirror. In fact, they argue that for different portraits, Rembrandt would not only use different kinds of mirrors, but also change their positions, all the while looking between the work and the reflection. In Self Portrait with open eyes, it is said that the artist only used a flat mirror, making the task of remembering (and holding) his expression much easier.

Georges Seurat, The Forest at Pontaubert, 1881, oil on canvas, 1985.237

This work shows Seurat beginning to play with Pointillism, or as he liked to call it, Divisionism. It consists of merging color by painting in small dots of various colors instead of brushstrokes. Notice how the closer you look at the artwork, the more distinct the colors are from each other, and the less distinguishable the figures are from one another. At first, we see mainly greens, yellows, and whites, but up close we notice some oranges, and even some red!

Georges Seurat, Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884, oil on canvas, 51.112.6

Some time after his Forest, Seurat paints Sunday on La Grande Jatte, which was a very popular spot in his time. We can see much more clearly the way the colored dots blend together. It works as an optical illusion: when we see two dots of different colors next to one another, our eyes merge them into a single mixed shade. What looks like solid color is actually multiple different colors mixing together. Seurat represented a well-known place in a way that had an effect not only on how its viewers felt, but on how they perceived what they were seeing.

Arkhyp Kuindzhi, Red Sunset on the Dnieper, 1905-08, oil on canvas, 1974.100

The Ukrainian artist Arkhyp Kuindzhi didn’t feel the need to represent nature like his European representationalist counterparts: he was more interested in replicating it to the best of his ability. He had a high appreciation for nature and was able to learn much about it thanks to his friendship with the scientist Mendeleev. In Red Sunset, we see how he poured most of his attention into how light is portrayed. The way it pours onto the landscape, river, and across the clouds makes the image seem like a photograph.

Arkhyp Kuindzhi, Moonlit Night on the Dnieper, 1880, oil on canvas, State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg

In Moonlit Night on the Dnieper, we find more ways Kuindzhi gave light great importance. He understood how value affected perceived luminosity, as well as how using juxtaposed colors would heighten their intensity and deepen the contrast between light and dark. Moreover, the piece was exhibited with a light shined directly on it, making the bright light of the moon even brighter, and the dark corners of the night sky even darker. Alongside the texture of the water and the clouds, it almost feels like you aren’t looking at a painting, but outside your room window into the night.

The Different Perspectives of Eros

The Different Perspectives of Eros

This curation showcases six different pieces of the same object, all depicting Eros, the god of love, desire, and lust. Each piece portrays Eros as a young child or baby, but what makes this collection interesting is how differently each artist has depicted the god. When it comes to creating gods in paintings, sculptures, and carvings there are no set rules, and artists have the freedom to decide what the god looks like. This is because these gods are solely created from imagination, stories, and other sources. The primary objective of this gallery is to provide a platform to showcase artists' creativity and to express their unique perspectives. Through their artwork, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of how individuals can view the same thing differently. The gallery displays carvings, sculptures, and statues that offer a glimpse into the artist's imagination and creative process. By exploring the exhibits, visitors can appreciate the beauty and complexity of art and gain a new appreciation for the power of human creativity. The pieces in this collection date back to the 4th Century BCE to the 2nd Century CE, with most of them originating from Greco-Roman culture, except for one from Cypriot culture and one from Italic culture.

Unknown, Bronze Support for a Mirror, 4th Century BCE

Bronze, A.N.: 58.11.3



In this artwork, Eros is depicted as seated and appears to be quite thin compared to other depictions of Eros. He is also shown with wings that resemble an angel, which is a common way of portraying Eros. This artwork is used as a mirror support, which means that a mirror disk would have been placed on top of the piece where the rounded part above Eros is located. Additionally, there would have been a handle made of ivory, bone, or wood attached to the bottom where the point is.


Unknown, Bronze Statue of Eros Sleeping, 3rd-2nd century BCE

Bronze, A.N.: 43.11.4





This particular piece has been widely referred to as the best of its kind. It was created during the Hellenistic Period and later on, during the Roman period, Sleeping Eros sculptures were used as decorations for villa gardens and fountains. It is believed that in the Hellenistic Period, they had other uses such as dedications in sanctuaries of Aphrodite. They could have also been used as decor in public and private parks, and even in royal gardens.



Unknown, Terracotta statuette of Eros Banqueting, 3rd Century BCE or later

Terracotta; mold-made and handmade, A.N.: 74.51.1595





This piece is a small figurine, measuring just over 2 inches in height. A figurine is a sculpture of a human that is smaller than life-sized. This particular figurine was made from a mold and is made of terracotta, which is a type of fired clay. The sculpture depicts Eros, who is shown with wings and a chubby appearance, as is typical. However, in this piece, Eros is portrayed more as a baby than a young child, which may be due to the small size of the figurine.

Unknown, Garnet Ring Stone, 1st Century BCE

Garnet (almandine) A.N.: 81.6.31




This particular piece belongs to the Hellenistic Period and is considered a gem that would have been set into a ring. The photo above shows that the piece is only about an inch in size. It is a carving of Eros, depicted as a muscular baby/child, walking towards the right while carrying the weapons of Herakles, including the lion's skin, club, bow, and quiver. This portrayal of Eros is more powerful than the other pieces shown, where he appears more relaxed. This highlights the fact that every artist has a unique perspective and can interpret the same subject differently.



Unknown, Stucco Relief Panel, 2nd half of 1st Century CE

Stucco, A.N.: 92.11.5





Here is another artwork that depicts Eros as a standing object instead of a reclining figure. This is a Relief carving that raises the design from the background, creating a 3D effect. It's different from intaglio carving, which cuts the design into the surface. This technique has been used for centuries in various cultures and art forms. Despite standing, Eros appears relaxed similar to the other pieces shown, and is depicted playing an instrument, appears to be in a peaceful space



Unknown, Bronze Statuette of Eros Sleeping, 1st Century BCE – 2nd Century CE

Bronze, A.N.: 13.225.2




This is described as the reduced version of The Statue of Eros Sleeping, (Which is also shown in this curation) This version is only eight and a fourth inch which is very interesting considering how detailed this piece is. The hair is very obviously curly, and he has very defined arms, legs, and fingers. This Eros is also seen as relaxed but that is not original by this artist, but instead just a copy of the first one.

Man's Hand in the Land Around the World

            Landscapes forever reside in our visual archives, all of which portray some artistic variation of the elements of land, sky, and—maybe—water. Occasionally, these landscapes challenge the “rule,” so to speak, of needing to incorporate all three, creating landscapes of just land and no sky or water, only water and sky, or only land and sky, which is most common. We, of course, vaguely realize this every time we discover another landscape, whether in photographs found in our scrolling through Instagram or in antique prints (rarely actual paintings unless we find Paint-by-Numbers) that we find in strolling through Goodwill or an antique market. But one element of landscapes tends to escape us: the presence of man’s hand in the land depicted in each landscape.

            All the landscapes I have chosen below portray man’s hand in the land through various kinds of media in various cultures from the 13^th century up to only a half century ago. Beginning with the Chinese Windswept Lakeshore (attributed to Xia Gui) and ending with the German Anselm Kiefer’s A Ship Will Come, we see first man working the land, living in the land, contemplating the land, and then perceiving the appearance of the land. From ink to oil paint to watercolor, gouache, and ballpoint pen, Xia Gui, Dosso Dossi, Kim Su-Gyu, Caspar David Friedrich, Sanford Robinson Gifford, Claude Monet, and Anselm Kiefer each heighten our own awareness of man in their landscapes through their temporally cultural styles.

Windswept Lakeshore, Attributed to Xia Gui, 13^th c., Chinese, 10 ¼ x 10 5/8 in.

Fan mounted as an album leaf; ink on silk, Ascension Number: 1973.121.11

            Xia Gui, if he did indeed produce this artwork, strove against the Northern Song tradition of painting “a hundred peaks and ten thousand trees,” creating his own tradition of painting merely a couple of trees with a single hill or cliff hanging in nothingness with sharp jots of ink atop an ink wash. But Xia does not forget the three miniscule figures working the land in the midst of the mystique-filled landscape, the three dependent on the land in their tininess while simultaneously subduing it.

The Three Ages of Humans, Dossa Dossi (Giovanni de Lutero) (1486-1541/42), Italian, 30 ½ x 44 in.

Oil on canvas, Ascension Number: 26.83

            Influenced by the Italian tradition of narrative painting, Dosso Dossi conceals his personal workmanship in the luscious seaside landscape where six figures portray in three huddled pairs childhood, adolescence/adulthood, and old age, with a pair of goats apparently watching the lovers. Despite the concealment of human workmanship by Dossi, mankind’s aging within nature clearly commands our attention in this originally pastoral landscape (Dossi only having later added the old men in the background), which clearly portrays the continuing presence of man in nature as a child, as a lover, and finally strolling in nature to relive those memories.

Rainy Landscape, Kim Su-Kyu, late 18^th c. Korean, 10 x 13 ¾ in.

Album leaf mounted as a hanging scroll; ink and color on bast fiber

Ascension Number: 2006.104

            Kim Su-Gyu’s Rainy Landscape, reminiscent of Xia’s Windswept Lakeshore above due to the use of bold strokes of ink and soft color wash, defers from Xia and his Northern Song traditional counterparts by painting a handful of mountains with treeage and a river. A little village nestles itself among these hills and trees on the right-hand side, softly telling of the presence of man. And then in the bottom left-hand corner, directly below the manmade inscription alongside Kim’s own signatures (both in Hanja): “Rain clears and brightens a thousand mountains, / Men in straw hats return with fishing rods,” we see the little men walking along the bridge they perhaps built across the river.

Eastern Coast of Rügen Island with Shepherd, Caspar David Friedrich, 1805-6, German, 24 ¼ x 39 in.

Pen and sepia colored ink, brush and sepia colored wash, white gouache and graphite on off-white wove paper; 2002.260

            A little later than Kim Su-Gyu and partway around the world in Germany, Caspar David Friedrich uses the similar material of ink in his own landscape drawing, utilizing only the sepia tones of his pens, ink, brush, and wash while incorporating what gouache and graphite for highlights on the water of this romantic Baltic pastoral scene. Here, as well as in other works of his, Friedrich, in keeping with his romanticist side, intentionally includes a man contemplating the scenic nature around him as he keeps his sheep, but, additionally, through Friedrich’s use of an unnatural color overlaying his highly naturalistic drawing, brings purposeful attention to his personal involvement in the construction of this view of nature with contemplating man in its midst, something Xia and Kim detracted from their works with illuminating inscriptions.

A Gorge in the Mountains (Kauterskill Clove), Sanford Robinson Gifford, 1862, American, 48 x 39 7/8 in.

Oil on canvas, Ascension Number: 15.30.62

            Across the pond from Europe, one of the early members of the Hudson River School of American landscapes around the Catskill Mountains, Sanford Robinson Gifford produced over 700 works by his death in 1880. In each one he emphasized the light and atmosphere of the Catskills through the tiniest of brushstrokes to evoke a highly naturalistic and romantic view of his surroundings (since he was the only member of the Hudson River School to actually live in the area). In A Gorge in the Mountains (Kauterskill Clove), the colors of the trees and forested gorge boost the ethereal haze of the sun hovering over the far-off mountains. But at the same time, this color initially hides the tiny figure of a hiker climbing the rocks in the bottom left-hand corner as he attempts to conquer the feat of climbing to the top with his dog.

Morning on the Seine near Giverny, Claude Monet, 1897, French, 32 1/8 x 36 5/8 in.

Oil on canvas, Ascension Number: 56.135.4

            At the end of the 19^th century, back across the Atlantic in Paris, Monet took a novel approach to landscape painting, using oil painting in an impressionistic way to paint only what he perceived nature to be rather than what it was, like Gifford portrayed in his hundreds of paintings. This attempt to paint only what he perceived resulted in several series of the same point of view, including this series of Mornings on the Seine near Giverny. Being the first artist in this collection to omit portraying man in his landscape, Monet brings attention to his own presence in the painting through his gestural strokes on the trees, river, and even the sky as he gives us a glimpse of what he sees and wants us to see in nature.

A Ship Will Come, Anselm Kiefer, 1974, German, 9 ½ x 7 7/8 in.

Watercolor, gouache, and ballpoint pen on paper, Ascension Number: 2000.96.

            Skipping forward to ‘70s Germany, Anselm Kiefer, who was in his youth during World War II and in 1974 lived amid the unease of a split Germany, half occupied by the U.S.S.R. and half allowed to live with greater freedom and prosperity, he journeyed to Norway to collect postcards and photos to later create watercolors from, resulting in this watercolor of the summer midnight sun just beyond a glacier and steamer. Even quicker than Monet’s paintings of the Seine above, Kiefer, also not portraying man, leaves a stark mark of his hand in the painting and drawing process, even writing the words “A Ship Will Come” in German to give added meaning to his work just like Kim in Rainy Landscape above, while the white manmade ship stands out against the dark blue glacial cliffs behind.

The Timelessness of Flowers in the Art World

    Flowers have always been a big part of what makes our world so beautiful but artists often choose to focus on them arguably more than other organic objects in nature because of their unceasing timelessness. Flowers have always been important in societies throughout the world for their lively delicacy and beauty. We see them constantly throughout our daily lives but most of the time we do not think too deeply about them for long. We acknowledge their beauty without truly reflecting on the complexity of them. Painters are often known to choose to work with them no matter what the medium is. The vividness of the colors in the extensive varieties that we have, allows for there to be more than enough room for the expression of further meanings rather than them just being simple objects in nature. Flowers have such a youthful sense of life to them that I think can help artists add a lot of meaning and depth to their paintings since they have such a dramatic life cycle that can be rather easy to showcase. Redon uses color as a way to show emotion to create a deeper meaning in his pieces of art. This use of color offers a compelling and deeper meaning to his viewers even if it is something as simple as a painting of a flower field. Redon did not start painting flowers until later in his life but he received many high accolades for them. I would say though that I do not know if he would have been as revered in his floral paintings if the subject matter wasn’t as timeless as a bouquet of flowers is. Flowers have such a strong powerfulness to them that is often subtle but very precise with its intentionality. 

Edgar Degas

A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers (Madame Paul Valpinçon?)

1865, oil on canvas, 29.100.128

A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers is Degas’ way of showing that we can see beauty in the mundane things of this world. Degas focuses on the presence of the woman sitting in a casual setting with the large bouquet not necessarily being the focal point of the painting. Degas uses this approach but also paints a large beautiful bouquet that transforms the whole painting into one that has a deeper meaning. This painting would have completely different connotations if it were not for the dramatic effect that the bouquet gives.

Eugène Delacroix, Basket of Flowers

1848-49, oil on canvas, 67.187.60

The significant and pressing political unrest at this time left room for the painting,  Basket of Flowers to be created. This painting led the way for there to be conversations about the political arises that were occuring at the time. He escaped to his country house and completed this masterpiece. Flowers are used here to show how even when the world is in a corrupt and unsettling state, the peacefulness and gentleness of them still shines through. He intended for this painting to get into the Salon of 1849 and he achieved his goal along with another one of his pieces (Basket of Flowers and Fruit) that he completed also at this time. 

Clara Peeters, A Bouquet of Flowers, 1612,

Oil on Wood, 2020.22

 Peeters played a very important role in the history of European still life which led the way for women to branch out into this genre. She enjoyed painting naturalistic pieces that showed the rawness and organic values of our earth. This painting also has insect bites taken out of the leaves and a butterfly in the bottom left that is resting on a leaf. This shows an element of life that is outside of the realm of just the flowers. I think that the juxtaposition of the forget-me-not flowers that have fallen over her name show a powerful idea of female artists not being not taken seriously in the art world. Women could also be a symbol here of the half-eaten leaves that have been tarnished by men that feast on women and their bodies.

(Unknown Artist)

Rectangular tray with flowering plums and birds, 14th century,

Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay

2015.500.1.56

This tray shows the early Spring stages of a flowering tree. It is different from the other art that we have looked at since it isn’t a bouquet or landscape of flowers but it shows a better sense of the growing stages of nature. The birds and blossoms also give the sense of life and growth. The detailed work is extensive and spreads across the entirety of the tray. It shows new life and beauty through its elegance and class. This is a very mature piece of art that creates the ability for us to see the immense skill of the artist. 

Margareta Haverman, A Vase of Flowers,

1716, Oil on Wood, 71.6

Haverman was gifted at painting flowers from a young age. We can think about how her youth symbolize the idea that flowers have always been present in our societies and with any age group. They are just thought of having different aesthetics to them. This bouquet takes up almost the whole surface but our eyes are drawn to the middle with the white and pinkish peonies. There are predominantly dark flowers all throughout this piece but you can not help but be drawn to the grapes and those center flowers. This is a very full and rich painting but it is not overindulgent either. Over time, these pigments have faded some but we have to ask the question, did Haverman account for this when she was working on this piece. It is so detail oriented that I find it hard to believe that she would have been careless about this. 

Sunflowers and Cypress Trees: An Exploration of Life and Death in Van Gogh’s paintings

 

If we look at Van Gogh’s paintings we can see a sharp contrast between the bright yellow of his Sunflowers and the solemn bold green of his Cypress trees. Cypress trees are often associated with immorality and longevity, but they also symbolize mourning, as in ancient cultures they were associated with death. Van Gogh’s paintings of Cypress trees were meant to be an antithesis to his work with Sunflowers, with the vibrant yellow plant representing life. He stated that they were "the complimentary and yet the equivalent." However, as Vojtech Jirat-Wasiutynski points out, there is an irony in this comparison, as the Cypress trees will maintain their green and life long after the sunflowers have withered and died. Van Gogh painted a variety of subjects in his lifetime, but during the last few years of his life he focused on these two plants specifically. Many of his sunflower paintings were created in Arles, while his cypress trees were made during his stay in Saint Remy. Scholars often focus on the darker symbolism of cypresses when discussing Van Gogh’s work, but to Van Gogh the trees did not merely represent death. One scholar, Susan Alyson Stein, explains that to Van Gogh cypress trees were a symbol of fortitude. While the sunflowers may fade, across time and across seasons, the cypresses remain, “obelisks” as Van Gogh called them, a symbol of strength, striking against the landscape and reaching for the sky.

 

 

Vincent Van Gogh, Sunflowers, January 1889, Oil on canvas, 95 cm x 73 cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. From www.vanoghmuseum.nl

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers depicts a vase full of the orange and yellow blossoms, set against a yellow background. Some of the flowers stand straight, while others have begun to twist and bend, shedding their petals. Van Gogh created many works by the same name. This one was created in Arles in the south of France using only a few shades of yellow and green. Though they are in varying stages of development, the Sunflowers are vibrant and full of life. Van Gogh often used yellow to depict joy. 

 

 

Vincent Van Gogh, Orchard in Blossom Bordered by Cypresses, April 1888, Oil on canvas, 12 3/4 × 15 3/4 in. (32.5 × 40 cm), Yale University Art Gallery, From www.metmuseum.org

One of Van Gogh’s earliest paintings of cypress trees, Orchard in Blossom bordered by Cypresses shows a narrow path leading through flowering trees. In the distance one can see a clear blue sky and a line of cypress trees.  The Cypresses guide us across the painting, acting as a solid line to draw us in. They are not the focal point of the painting, but act as a dark border to the blooming gardens. The trees are not as stylized as they are in some of Van Gogh’s later works, but we can see their Obelisk-like structure. 

  

Van Gogh, Cypresses, 1889, Oil on canvas, 36 3/4 x 29 1/8 in. (93.4 x 74 cm), The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

As the name suggests, this painting marks the beginning of Van Gogh’s focus on the cypress tree. This work was created at the beginning of his stay in the asylum of Saint Remy. This work depicts a pair of cypress trees twisting up into the sky. In the background lie dark blue mountains, puffy clouds, and a pale yellow crescent moon. The Cypresses seem solemn against the bright colors of the surrounding landscape, but are painted with the same short curving brushstrokes as the sky. 

Van Gogh, Shed with Sunflowers, 1887, pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, on paper, 31.6 cm x 24.1 cm, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. From www.vangoghmuseum.nl

    Shed with Sunflowers is one of Van Gogh's first depictions of the plant. It was drawn soon before he began his series on the plant. The simple drawing depicts a shed against a pale blue sky with a fence going along its side. Sunflowers grow along this fence, reaching almost the top of the shed. The blossoms only take up a small portion of the painting, but the bright yellow is striking against the blue walls of the shed. A female figure stands nearby, presumably someone living on this farm. The drawing depicts life in its simplest form. 

 

Van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1887, Oil on canvas, 17 x 24 in. (43.2 x 61 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

 

    Created before his more well-known work Sunflowers, this painting of sunflowers shows two cut blossoms lying on a blue background. The blue is reflected in the center of the flowers. The flowers still maintain hints of life, with a thin layer of golden yellow petals surrounding their brown centers, but much of the color has faded and the stems and leaves have begun to wither. These plants were once vibrant, but now are only an echo. 

 

 

Van Gogh, Green Wheatfield with Cypresses, 1889, oil on canvas, 73.5 x 92.5 cm, National Gallery in Prague, from www.ngprague.cz

 

Painted in the summer of his stay at Saint Remy, much of this painting is taken up by a growing field of wheat which is bordered by darker bushes. In the background towards the middle stand the familiar shape of the Cypress trees. The trees are a dark mark against the growing field, and it is easy to see how they were associated with mourning. The trees here are more stylized than some of Van Gogh’s earlier works. 

 

Van Gogh, Wheat field with Cypresses, 1889, Oil on canvas, 28 7/8 × 36 3/4 in. (73.2 × 93.4 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art

Like the name suggests, Wheatfield with Cypresses shows a field of golden wheat blowing in the wind. Behind it stand two cypress trees, one shorter than the other, and both reaching to the top right corner of the painting. Here we see the colors most prevalent in Van Gogh’s sunflowers directly next to the deep green of the Cypress trees. The darker value of the trees draws our eyes. Painted around the same location as Green Wheatfield with Cypresses, this painting shows a landscape that is turning into the colors of autumn. Despite the change of season, the Cypress trees maintain that same green. 

 

 

Van Gogh, the Starry Night, 1889, Oil on canvas, 29 x 36 1/4" (73.7 x 92.1 cm) Museum of Modern Art, From www.moma.org

 

Arguably Van Gogh's most famous painting, Starry Night is well known across the world. The painting features the town of Saint-Remy underneath an incredible night sky filled with stars, which Van Gogh depicts as balls of yellow and white with light swirling around them. The bright colors curl around the sky leading us around the painting. While the painting is famous for its depiction of the night sky, the cypress tree on the left side of the piece is just as instrumental.  Although the leaves and branches of the tree curl and twist, the darker color grounds us in contrast to the swooping sky. The tree reaches for the stars, mirroring the position of the church in the background. To Van Gogh, the Cypress trees were like the steeple of the Church. They were monumental and displayed the grandness of nature.