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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Tree Paintings for Sale

Light in the wood

An old chapel after the storm

Two appletrees in bloom

Two autumnal trees

Magical autumn

Orchard in summer

Autumnal sunset

Autumn 6625

Red poppies

On the golden shore

Poppies in Provence

Magic light on trees

Jardin de Majorelle (3)

Spring in my countryside 4525

A few houses in winter

Autumn in the wood 54

Apple trees in early winter

Here comes the sun

Winter in the wood

Blooming cherrytrees

Yellow brooms

Forestscape

Moonshine 75

River at sunset

En Provence - 7524

Au village

Filtre à café #168

Window

Le chemin du bonheur

Scarlet Maple near Water

Japanese Maple

Abstrait floral

Walking in Hampstead Heath

Mountains river

In the rays of the sunset

Blue summer

Une époque sans règle #1

Red Birch

Mer, comme on est bien ici

Lilac blur

Au bout des lignes

N° 890 Le château de Fortis.

untitled 8

Les promenades (3)

Jardins, feux-calligraphes

Cerisiers blancs

Résonances sous le Feuillage

Entre les pierres

Les beaux débuts

Dansez les pins parasols

Fabulous streets of Marmaris

Le marin

Le chant des cigales

Autumn melody

Golden Serenity

Orsay Oner

Enfin les sakuras

Le couple transportant du bois sec

En apesanteur

Lunaire

Yellow and purple pond

Two yellow trees

Provence 4524

Orchard in spring

A few houses

Blue spring