The Olive Trees

Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh painted this expressive landscape of olive trees in June 1889 while staying at the Saint-Rémy asylum. The gnarled trees writhe beneath a turbulent sky, their twisted forms echoing the artist's emotional state. This version belongs to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Van Gogh created at least 15 paintings of olive groves during his year in Saint-Rémy, finding spiritual meaning in these ancient trees. He wrote to his brother Theo that "the rustle of the olive grove has something very intimate, immensely old about it." The swirling brushwork and vivid contrasts between the silvery-green foliage and the dramatic sky demonstrate Van Gogh's mature Post-Impressionist style.