Tree Paintings for Sale

In painting, just as in poetry, trees bend but do not break. They offer an array of symbolism: the tree of life, of knowledge, the world's axis and symbol of evolution. They are an omnipresent figure, constant throughout the shifting eras and dominating canvases with their overwhelming grandeur. Trees are as compelling to painters as they are to viewers, seeming to extend their branches almost into the heavens.

For a long time, the tree was only represented as a biblical symbol, the catalyst in the fall of man. Later, in classical paintings, the tree was often relegated to a background object, serving only to prop up other, more important subjects, although some artists like Poussin did make them the focus. Cézanne's The Great Pine, however, is perhaps the best example of a composition entirely dedicated to the tree as a subject, they fill the frame with solid trunks and thick, twisting branches. In a landscape, trees are a sign of splendour and power, towering over the tiny figures of men. In Rubens' The Tempest, they are almost threatening.

The splendour of trees in paintings is greatly affected by the arrangement of the rest of the composition. Sometimes trees seems to support the canvas, marking out the confines of the space. Many painters use trees to give an indication of perspective and depth in the canvas, such as Hodler's Autumn Evening. Trees can also be used to give an indication of where the painting is set: palm trees indicate an exotic setting, lending the canvases an edge of luxury and excitement – as seen in the work of Douanier Rousseau.

The tree can also serve as a metaphor, signifying strength, rootedness, and a sort of natural power that – like even the strongest man – can still end up broken. Anselm Kieffer painted his canvas Varus in memory of the atrocities suffered by Germany in the 20th century; the composition depicts a bloodied forest in reference to the Roman war featured in Tacitus' Germania. The tree can also stand as a symbol for the ceaseless changing of the seasons, often placed in parallel to the human cycle of life. While Hokusai honoured the magnificent cherry blossoms of his native Japan, Monet repeatedly painted his gardens at Giverny, often under the bright light of full summer. Autumn, with its shimmering colours, crisp light, and myriad textures, is an unfailing source of inspiration for artists. Most recently artists have taken to abstracting the form of trees, stripping them back to their most basic elements, like in the works of Raoul Dufy.

In contemporary art, the motif of a tree is most often found in sculpture and installation art because it's so easy to translate into three dimensional media. Traditional art has yet to let trees go, though, and you need to look no further than Mondrian's canvases to see that trees remain a vital element of art history. Browse Artsper's collection of art centred around trees.

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Arbre

Patrick Baillet

Painting - 120 x 160 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 63 x 1.2 inch

$12,575 $11,318

Armenian highlands

Samvel Atasunts

Painting - 30 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$300

Walking With Floyd

Joan Blumenfeld

Painting - 45.7 x 61 x 3.6 cm Painting - 18 x 24 x 1.4 inch

$1,450

Cherry blooms

Hoang Phuong

Painting - 104.9 x 88.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 41.3 x 35 x 1 inch

Sold

Autumn in Hanoi: Yellow leaves fall on each street

Hoang Phuong

Painting - 100.1 x 119.9 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 1 inch

Sold

Nature is resting

Stepan Ohanyan

Painting - 50 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

$500

Temporary collaps

Igor Shulman

Painting - 79.8 x 79.8 x 5.1 cm Painting - 31.4 x 31.4 x 2 inch

$3,800

Bosco selva

Rossella Mercedes

Painting - 31 x 31 x 1 cm Painting - 12.2 x 12.2 x 0.4 inch

$308

Souffle

Véronique Vadon

Painting - 40 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

$3,203

Almond tree in bloom

Natalya Mougenot

Painting - 41 x 27 x 2 cm Painting - 16.1 x 10.6 x 0.8 inch

$522 $418

Autumn

Noyem Khachatryan

Painting - 42 x 30 x 2 cm Painting - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

$534

Silent

Mayhem Art By Colin Agius

Painting - 100 x 130 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 51.2 x 0.4 inch

$4,627

Trees of gratitude

Natalya Mougenot

Painting - 42 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Painting - 16.5 x 11.7 x 0 inch

$415

Serenity in the mountains

Natalya Mougenot

Painting - 59.4 x 42 x 0.1 cm Painting - 23.4 x 16.5 x 0 inch

$534 $454

Gardiner's Park

Jonathan Van Brunt

Painting - 40.6 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 16 x 20 x 1 inch

Sold

Desert Glow

Kristen Olson Stone

Painting - 76.2 x 101.6 x 3.8 cm Painting - 30 x 40 x 1.5 inch

$3,714

Down the Power Line Road

Joan Blumenfeld

Painting - 76.2 x 76.2 x 3.8 cm Painting - 30 x 30 x 1.5 inch

$2,800

Northern Minnesota Summer Storm

Joan Blumenfeld

Painting - 101.6 x 76.2 x 3.8 cm Painting - 40 x 30 x 1.5 inch

$4,000

Cherry blooms

Hoang Phuong

Painting - 119.9 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 51.2 x 1 inch

Sold

Abstract landscape VI

Jean Lurssen

Painting - 25.4 x 25.4 x 0.3 cm Painting - 10 x 10 x 0.1 inch

$295

L'arbre de la connaissance #1

Alain Husson-Dumoutier

Painting - 118 x 89 x 2 cm Painting - 46.5 x 35 x 0.8 inch

$9,965

Petit paysage du midi 1

Christine Desplanque

Painting - 20 x 20 x 2 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

Sold