Two Poplars in the Alpilles near Saint-Rémy - Vincent van Gogh

A striking 1889 study of the Alpilles landscape, featuring two towering poplars rendered in Van Gogh's signature impasto style.

Painted in 1889 during his stay at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, this work captures the distinctive topography of the Alpilles mountain range. Vincent van Gogh frequently turned to the surrounding countryside for his subjects, finding a sense of order in the rhythmic, vertical forms of the poplar trees that punctuated the rolling terrain. The composition is dominated by two towering poplars, rendered with thick, directional brushwork that conveys a sense of movement. The artist employs a palette of ochre and yellow for the foliage, which contrasts against the deep, swirling blues of the sky. The ground is depicted in cooler, pale tones, suggesting the dry, sun-bleached earth of the region. Van Gogh uses his characteristic impasto technique, where the paint is applied heavily to the surface, creating a physical texture that catches the light and adds a tactile quality to the image. In the background, the undulating hills of the Alpilles are simplified into rhythmic patterns. A small structure is visible nestled among the trees, providing a sense of scale to the scene. The sky is treated with the same energetic, rhythmic strokes as the rest of the canvas, creating a unified atmosphere where the natural elements appear to vibrate with energy. This work demonstrates the artist's focus on translating his emotional response to the environment into a structured, visual language. By isolating the trees against the sky and the distant hills, he creates a clear, balanced arrangement that draws the eye upward, mirroring the vertical growth of the poplars themselves. The painting remains a clear example of his late period, where his control over colour and form reached a high degree of clarity.