Groene bomen 1941

Léon Spilliaert made this painting of green trees, maybe in the early 20th century, with what looks like gouache or tempera on cardboard. I love the way the artist worked from dark to light, conjuring the trees from the shadows. Imagine standing where Spilliaert stood, feeling the cool air and damp earth. What was he thinking as he painted? Probably about mortality, the seasons, the way light filters through the branches. Look at how the artist paints the tree trunks with dark green hues. The paint seems to be applied thinly, in layers, almost like a wash. The texture is smooth, with subtle variations in color that suggest the play of light and shadow on the bark. The limbs of the tree in the center gesture to the sky. I think about other artists who have painted trees, like Mondrian, Cezanne, or Emily Carr. Artists are always in conversation with each other across time, taking inspiration, pushing boundaries, and embracing the unknown. They inspire our creativity.