Often mistaken for Van Gogh’s last painting, Wheatfield with Crows has long been associated with his troubled state of mind. The striking contrast of deep blues, golden yellows, earthy reds, and lush greens suggests vibrancy and life—yet the stormy sky, ominous crows, and path that leads nowhere create an atmosphere of isolation. Although it is now understood that this was not his last painting, it conveys a sense of sadness and loneliness that echoes in his later works.
2. Orchard in Blossom
Van Gogh arrived in Arles in February 1888, and springtime was soon upon him. He took his paints outdoors to capture the many orchards that surrounded the village. In Orchard in Blossom, cool greens and blues dominate the scene, while touches of pink in the sky and yellow on the ground give it warmth and light. Van Gogh was dissatisfied with his first attempt at this painting, but he took it with him to Saint-Rémy and continued to rework it from memory.
3. Cypresses
Cypresses frequently appear in Van Gogh’s paintings. He loved their elongated shape, once describing them as “beautiful as regards lines and proportions, like an Egyptian obelisk.” He created this piece in June 1889 while he was a patient at the asylum in Saint-Rémy. The cypress tree, often regarded as a symbol of death due to its presence in cemeteries, is also a prevalent feature in the landscape of southern France. While it may reflect the darker themes occupying Van Gogh’s mind, Cypresses also showcases his ability to bring beauty, energy, and rhythm to the landscape.
4. The Harvest
From his early days as a painter, Van Gogh was fascinated by the daily life of peasants and their connection to the land. The Harvest details several stages of the harvesting process: a half-mowed wheatfield, a towering haystack with ladders, scattered carts, and a man reaping the fields. Van Gogh’s choice of colors conveys the searing heat and dryness of the landscape. The blue sky contrasts beautifully with the greens and yellows of the land, evoking the heat of a summer day. Van Gogh—known to rework his paintings extensively—was very pleased with this one. He wrote to his brother Theo that the “canvas absolutely kills all the rest.”
5. The Olive Trees
Van Gogh painted the olive tree, the quintessential tree of the Mediterranean, several times during his stay in Saint-Rémy. The Olive Trees in its entirety seems to be in motion: the ground flows like ocean waves, and the olive trees twist and turn against undulating blue mountains and a cloud-filled sky. Interestingly, based on his letters, Van Gogh considered The Olive Trees to be a daylight counterpart to perhaps his most famous painting, The Starry Night.
Vincent van Gogh’s landscapes play an essential role in his body of work. In them, nature comes alive with movement and color—expressing the emotional depth and intensity that defined his inner world.
