Artwork
Yellow and Green Tree
Yellow and Green Tree is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1913 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1913, *Yellow and Green Tree* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The composition centers on a solitary tree whose trunk is rendered in striking yellow and green tones, set against a gently rolling hill, a light‑blue expanse of water, and a muted gray sky. The work exemplifies Munch’s late‑period focus on landscape as a vehicle for mood.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a single tree whose vivid trunk and upward‑reaching branches dominate the scene. The contrast between the bright foliage and the subdued background suggests a tension between vitality and melancholy, echoing Munch’s lifelong preoccupation with inner emotional states and the fleeting nature of existence.
Technique & Style
Munch employs loose, expressive brushwork and a saturated palette characteristic of Post‑Impressionist tendencies. The bold application of yellow and green on the trunk creates a sense of movement, while the softer, blended tones of the hill, water, and sky provide atmospheric depth. The overall effect is both dynamic and contemplative.
History & Provenance
The work was painted during a prolific phase in Munch’s career when he was consolidating his reputation in Oslo’s artistic circles. Although specific ownership records are limited, the painting has been documented in catalogues of Munch’s oeuvre and has appeared in several exhibitions of his landscape series.
Context
Munch’s early life, marked by illness and family loss, informed his introspective approach to art. By 1913, he was immersed in a bohemian community in Oslo that encouraged experimentation with color and form. *Yellow and Green Tree* reflects this environment, merging personal symbolism with broader Post‑Impressionist trends in early twentieth‑century European painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
