Branches with Almond Blossom

branches with almond blossom

Branches with Almond Blossom is one of the most famous oil paintings made in 1890 by Van Gogh in France and now located in Van Gogh Museum. Van Gogh loved flowering trees and they meant dawn and hope to him. The Almond Blossom was given to his brother Theo as a present for the birth of Theo's son, also named Vincent.

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Large blossom branches like this against a blue sky were one of Van Gogh’s favourite subjects. Almond trees flower early in the spring making them a symbol of new life. Van Gogh borrowed the subject, the bold outlines and the positioning of the tree in the picture plane from Japanese printmaking.

The painting was a gift for his brother Theo and sister-in-law Jo, who had just had a baby son, Vincent Willem. In the letter announcing the new arrival, Theo wrote: ‘As we told you, we’ll name him after you, and I’m making the wish that he may be as determined and as courageous as you.’ Unsurprisingly, it was this work that remained closest to the hearts of the Van Gogh family. Vincent Willem went on to found the Van Gogh Museum.

Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh, a Dutch post-impressionist painter, is renowned for his distinctive style and emotionally charged artworks. Born on March 30, 1853, in the Netherlands, Van Gogh struggled with mental health issues throughout his life. Despite numerous personal challenges, his passion for art remained unwavering. Initially working as an art dealer and teacher, he found his true calling in painting during his late twenties.
Van Gogh's art is characterized by bold colors, dramatic brushwork, and raw emotional intensity. His iconic works, such as "Starry Night," "Sunflowers," and "The Bedroom," reflect his unique perception of the world, often portraying landscapes, still lifes, and self-portraits with an intense emotional depth. His technique evolved over time, moving from dark, somber tones to vibrant, expressive colors that reflected his emotional turmoil.
Tragically, his mental health deteriorated, leading to periods of deep despair and instability. His prolific career spanned only about a decade, during which he produced over 2,000 artworks, but recognition and acclaim eluded him during his lifetime. Vincent van Gogh passed away at the age of 37, leaving behind a legacy that revolutionized the art world. Posthumously, his art gained widespread recognition, becoming emblematic of profound artistic genius and emotional resonance.

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Permanent Collection

Housing a national collection, Tate Britain is the world centre for the study and display of British art. Highlights include a Turner collection of more than 300 paintings and thousands of watercolours, with considerable space also dedicated to two artists of the Romantic age, Constable and William Blake.

The national tradition of portraiture is represented in a fine collection of Elizabethan works, as well as those by Gainsborough, Reynolds, and Hogarth 'the father of English painting' whose much-loved Rake's Progress sequence remains a popular draw.

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