Tree Trunks with Ivy

Van Gogh's study of tree trunks with ivy at Saint-Rémy in 1889 focuses on the relationship between the permanent structure of mature trees and the climbing, colonizing growth of ivy — a subject that carries metaphorical potential he likely appreciated. The ivy-covered trunks belonged to the hospital garden, and Van Gogh observed them with the intense close attention he brought to all his Saint-Rémy plant studies. His letters describe his compulsion to look closely at specific natural forms, finding in their particular character a way of engaging with the world that was both meditative and productive. The Kröller-Müller holds this as a significant late botanical study.

The ivy-covered trunks are rendered with Van Gogh's most intense botanical observation — the individual ivy leaves painted with careful attention to their varying sizes and orientations. The overall pattern of leaves against dark bark creates a complex surface. His brushwork distinguishes between the flat leaf forms and the rough bark beneath, the palette rich in greens and earth tones.