Analysis on "Landscape with Red Trees"
Maurice de Vlaminck "Landscape with Red Trees" 1906
Maurice de Vlaminck's "Landscape with Red Trees" is an exquisite example of his early style of Fauvism because of the vibrant colors. two-dimensional flat surface, and the creative view of a landscape.
Subject Matter- This is one of Vlaminck's many landscape works. In this particular painting there are trees and bushes with a building or house in the background.
Materials and Technique- This painting is oil on canvas. Vlaminck used brushes to paint but like Van Gogh, Vlaminck often applied his paint straight from the tube without using a brush at times.
Composition- The trees are along a diagonal pathway or lake shore. The foreground's space is occupied with the ground and either a reflection in the water from the trees or a wall. The middle ground has a diagonal row of tall trees. The background has a hous or a building behind the tall trees.
Space- The space is two dimensional although there is a foreground, middleground, and background. It is meant to look like a flat surface or like a painting, which is another characteristic of the Fauves.texture pattern and outline.
Brushwork- Vlaminck's brushstrokes were broad and thick as it is especially shown in the thick outline of the trees and in the other
Use of Color- Vlaminck, like Van Gogh, used reds, oranged, and yellows. he also did not mix the paint which makes the colors bright. There is also localized color of reds and yellows to lead the viewers eye around the different areas of the painting. The trees are red, orange, and have a little bit of purple and black.
Sense of Movement- The trees show a sense of movement because they are swaying to the left which would suggest that there is a wind or breeze.
Lines and Forms- In the foreground of the painting there is a diagonal line along which the trees follow. All of the figures have a black outline which makes it look 2 dimensional and brings out the specific lines and figures.
Use of Light and Shadow- There is not a definate light source or any shadows but the painting is still very bright and it is made obvious that it is probably sometime in the middle of the day when the sun is high in the sky shining light on everything. The upper section of the trees are darker suggesting that they are in shadow.