Olive Trees 1888

This is Vincent van Gogh’s drawing “Olive Trees,” held here at the Musée des Beaux-Arts. The olive tree, as seen in the scriptures, has long been a symbol of peace, hope, and renewal. Van Gogh was seeking solace in nature, much like the seekers of antiquity who believed in the powers of the natural world. We can see a similar veneration of trees in earlier mythologies; in Norse legends, for example, the Yggdrasil connects the heavens, the earth, and the underworld. Even the simple act of drawing trees, a practice dating back to the earliest forms of art, reveals the subconscious human need to connect with nature, with its rhythms and cycles. The way the trees are drawn, with the lines seemingly writhing, evokes a sense of subconscious turmoil and spiritual intensity, engaging viewers on a deeply emotional level. This act is repeated, over and over. Through the ages, the image of the olive tree, laden with symbolic weight, continues to echo, resurface, and transform, speaking to our deepest hopes and fears.