Trees and Undergrowth

Van Gogh produced a series of under-canopy woodland views in the Bois de Boulogne and the Asnières area during his Paris period, treating the dense tangle of trees and undergrowth as a formal problem in depicting complex overlapping forms and the spatial ambiguity of deep shadow and dappled light. These studies show his direct engagement with Impressionist forest painting — particularly Monet's early Fontainebleau studies — but also his emerging tendency to use the brushstroke itself as a formal element rather than a transparent carrier of information. The undergrowth in particular allowed him to develop the packed, directional mark that would become his signature.

Dense interlocking strokes of green, ochre, and dark brown create a screen of vegetation. The distinction between leaves, branches, and undergrowth is maintained through colour variation rather than careful drawing. The overall effect is one of immersive enclosure within the woodland space.