Artwork
Apple Tree
Apple Tree is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1920, *Apple Tree* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The work presents a single apple tree set within a broader landscape, rendered with the vivid palette and expressive brushwork typical of Munch’s mature period. It is part of the permanent collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on an isolated tree whose dark trunk supports a canopy of bright green foliage and striking red fruit. The contrast between the luminous apples and the surrounding leaves suggests a focus on vitality amid solitude, reflecting Munch’s ongoing interest in psychological states and the tension between life and isolation.
Technique & Style
Executed in a post‑impressionist idiom, the painting employs bold, gestural brushstrokes that animate the surface. Munch’s use of saturated greens, yellows, and blues, alongside the intense reds of the apples, creates a dynamic interplay of color that heightens the sense of movement and emotional resonance within the scene.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the work entered the holdings of the Munch Museum, where it remains on display. The painting’s provenance is straightforward, having been acquired directly by the museum as part of its effort to assemble a comprehensive representation of Munch’s oeuvre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
