Pollard Willow 1882

Editor: So this is Van Gogh’s "Pollard Willow," made in 1882 using watercolor and ink. It’s much more muted than his later works, almost melancholy. What jumps out to you when you look at it? Curator: The starkness of the pollard willow itself is very potent, don't you think? Van Gogh returned to depicting pollard willows quite frequently throughout his career. This reflects his ongoing dialogue with themes of peasant life and the cyclical nature of existence. Have you noticed how the pollarding is an emblem of both destruction and potential? Editor: Destruction and potential... that's interesting! It's obviously been heavily pruned. So what does the actual pollarding of the trees themselves signify, do you think? Curator: Culturally, pollarding secured wood for fuel and craftmanship and sustained the tree's lifespan through management; yet, this management physically scars it. This aligns, perhaps, with Van Gogh's identification with the working classes: perseverance after trauma and imposed hardship. How do you see that embodied in the landscape? Editor: Now I’m noticing how even the figure on the road seems hunched over, in silhouette almost blending into the shadows. There is definitely a sombre tone throughout the painting. I hadn't noticed how charged that simple symbol could be. Thanks! Curator: And, the tree—still reaching toward the light. Keep seeking those symbols, and the light they cast onto understanding our world, and our human spirit.