Undergrowth 1887

Vincent van Gogh painted this scene of ‘Undergrowth’ in the late 1880s, using oil on canvas. The thick application of paint gives a sense of the dense vegetation in the forest. Made in France, this work reflects a shift in the art world away from academic painting towards more subjective and personal expression. We can see this in his use of color and brushwork. This approach was partly enabled by changes in the art market. Artists were becoming less reliant on state patronage and academic institutions, with private galleries playing an increasingly important role. Van Gogh’s work challenged the established norms of the art world, paving the way for future generations of artists to explore new ways of representing the world around them. It's the task of the historian to look at archival materials, letters, and contemporary reviews, to better understand Van Gogh's artistic development and his place in the social and cultural landscape of his time.