Kale bomen c. 1886 - 1890

Maria Vos sketched "Kale bomen" using graphite, capturing a copse of bare trees standing stark against a background of dense foliage or structures. The trees, stripped bare, evoke an immediate sense of melancholy. Throughout art history, bare trees have been linked to themes of death and rebirth. In medieval art, the barren tree often symbolizes the crucifixion and the death of the old self, but also alludes to the promise of resurrection and new beginnings. The skeletal forms of these trees echo the stark landscapes found in Northern Renaissance art, reminding us of mortality and the cyclical nature of life. Consider how the lone tree appears in Romantic landscapes, representing the solitary human soul confronting the vastness of nature. Vos’s trees, though simple, carry this weight, engaging viewers on a primal, subconscious level with the complex interplay of life, death, and renewal.