Tall Poplar Trees II

Tall Poplar Trees II

Artist Gustav Klimt conceived the soft stroked painting, Tall Poplar Tree II, unravelling an array of forms and entities throughout his painting. The painting dates back to 1900, and is the second part to his original piece Large Poplar II.

Both paintings hold a gloomy emotion incorporated within the work as the dark colours seize the canvas. Klimt had painted both paintings as a symbolism piece, which contains a bigger picture behind the work. Art critics and historians have argued the meaning behind the super natural painting, yet the exact message remains unknown.

Upon first glace at the canvas, the painting reveals a common setting. An impressionism technique seizes the painting, as the artist depicts a natural surrounding. However, looking upon the images within the background, the viewer is able to witness a large tree upon the common red apple trees. Behind the plain trees, a supernatural tall tree is painted across the canvas. The tree shoots up into the sky as a tower, uprising the question of why the artist depicted the out of the ordinary tree.

The apple trees surrounding the focal point illustrate a calm atmosphere. The artist had painted the sky a simple blue, accompanied by white fluffy clouds. The grass remains covered in shades of green, raging from light to dark. Alongside, the meadow is accentuated through small blossoms, covering the green grass. The apple trees are planted by rows, seeming to be set on a farm or ones garden. Bring up into question why the abnormal tree remains placed there. Or, perhaps Klimt had imagined the tree and added it to his work to create a contrast. The exact reasoning behind the painting remains unknown, yet spurs an array of questions to be asked regarding the work.

The accompanying painting holding the same style, Large Popular II, reveals the same tree soaring into the sky. Within the painting the viewer is able to witness a small house cut in half beneath the tree. The house is deformed, in an abstract modern style, yet carries the same symbolism. The setting of the painting is turned around as the viewer sees the painting from the opposite direction. Yet the same rows of apple trees are displayed, growing into a large field. As they two paintings are set in the same location; the viewer witnesses that the abnormal tree is in fact present.

The supernatural tree in Large Popular II is depicted to grow much taller than Tall Popular Tree II. The story behind the tree remains unknown, yet adds a character to the painting as it spurs with the viewers emotions. The cool undertones behind the painting add the gloomy feel, even while the bright blue sky shines through. The bright green field adds a welcoming emotion to the painting, yet is still overpowered by the abnormal presence of the tall tree.

Gustav Klimt's classic landscape painting intertwines detail with impeccable scenery that seizes the viewer. The thundering presence of the tree adds a dark allure to the painting, adding a symbolic meaning to the work. While the artist is not prominently know for his darkened artworks that carry symbolic meaning, the piece is a cornerstone in his work showcasing his different styles.