Cypresses

Cypresses, painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889, is an iconic example of Post-Impressionist landscapes rendered in oil on canvas. This powerful work features the distinctive, flame-like cypress trees which the artist viewed during his voluntary stay at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Gogh regarded the cypress as "beautiful as to line and proportion, like a Goth obelisk," and he used the motif repeatedly to explore the dramatic forces of nature within the surrounding French countryside. The composition emphasizes the intense contrast between the deep, somber greens of the trees and the turbulent blues and yellows of the sky, demonstrating the artist's signature technique of heavy impasto application and swirling brushwork.

Created just over a year before Gogh's death, the painting reflects the high emotional and technical intensity characteristic of the works he produced during this critical period. The active brushwork and exaggerated color palette transform a traditional landscape into a dynamic, psychological exploration, where nature itself seems infused with energy. This piece is a central highlight in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, where it serves as a crucial reference point for understanding the development of modern art and the final phase of the artist’s career. Because of the age of the original work, high-quality Cypresses prints and reproductions often circulate through the public domain, allowing wide accessibility to students and enthusiasts studying this seminal 1889 painting.