The Church at Auvers

Working in oil on canvas, Vincent van Gogh painted this striking view of the church at Auvers-sur-Oise in June 1890, just weeks before his death. The Gothic structure dominates the canvas, rendered with thick, swirling brushstrokes that give the building an almost living quality. The painting hangs at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

The church appears to twist against a deep cobalt sky, with two paths diverging in the foreground and a solitary figure walking away. Many art historians see symbolic meaning in this composition, perhaps reflecting Van Gogh's complicated relationship with religion and his sense of being at a crossroads. The vibrant blue sky contrasts dramatically with the darker building, creating the unsettling atmosphere characteristic of his final works.