Rocks with Oak Tree 1888

Editor: Here we have Vincent van Gogh's "Rocks with Oak Tree," created in 1888 using ink and mixed media. There's something stark about it, a ruggedness in the landscape, made more dramatic by the stark monochrome palette. What catches your eye, and how do you interpret the mood? Curator: Oh, this is quintessential Van Gogh, isn't it? Look at the furious energy in those lines. For me, this isn't just a landscape; it's a portrait of his inner turmoil. You can almost feel him wrestling with the wind, the light, his own demons, on that hilltop. Imagine him *en plein air,* battling the elements to capture the scene before him, infusing his feelings into the work. Editor: It’s interesting you say 'inner turmoil.' Is that projection, or is there something concrete in the work that suggests that? Curator: Both, perhaps! The quick, almost frantic marks! It isn't peaceful or pretty, is it? Van Gogh rarely painted pretty pictures; his aim was, above all, expression. It's his visual diary, the raw and unfiltered musings of a great mind. The almost crude technique just serves to highlight that, really. What does it evoke in you? Editor: I think that, now you mention it, I feel something unfulfilled, or uneasy about this place in time; thanks for highlighting that! Curator: That feeling resonates with me too, in Van Gogh. I find something very humbling, though. You start to feel your worries and anxiety have been felt long before. Editor: Yeah, this was pretty illuminating! The landscape feels much more intense.