Houses among Trees 1890

Vincent van Gogh rendered this drawing, "Houses among Trees", with a series of vigorous marks, creating a landscape pulsating with life. Dominating the foreground, the trees possess an almost animate quality, their swirling branches reaching out like grasping hands. This recalls ancient myths where trees serve as guardians, their gnarled forms embodying the passage of time and the weight of history. Think of the tree of knowledge, a symbol of forbidden wisdom, or the sacred groves of antiquity, where rituals were performed to appease the spirits of nature. These primeval forms appear in various contexts throughout history, shifting from sacred symbols to decorative motifs, yet always retaining a primal connection to the earth and to the depths of our collective unconscious. The writhing shapes evoke feelings of vitality, as if the very landscape is imbued with a raw, untamed energy. It reminds us of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.