Undergrowth 1887

Vincent van Gogh painted "Undergrowth" using oil on canvas, presenting a dense thicket of vegetation beneath trees. The composition lacks a conventional focal point, immersing the viewer in the intricate details of the forest floor. Van Gogh's application of paint is characteristically impasto, with thick, textured brushstrokes that render the leaves and undergrowth almost palpable. This technique creates a vibrant surface where light and shadow interplay, animating the scene with a life of its own. The dominance of greens, browns, and yellows captures the humid and fertile environment of the forest, while the lack of a horizon line flattens the perspective, pushing the foreground to meet the background. The overall effect challenges traditional landscape painting by prioritizing subjective experience over objective representation. Here, the formal elements of color, texture, and composition create a sensory encounter that destabilizes fixed notions of space and perception.