Horse Chestnut Tree in Blossom
Currently on view
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), Paris, May 1887
oil on canvas, 55.8 cm x 46.5 cm
Credits (obliged to state): Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
Before painting this horse chestnut tree, Van Gogh made a rough charcoal sketch of it on the canvas. If you zoom in far enough, you can still see the black lines of the sketch between the brush strokes. Look, for instance, at the area below the foot of the tree.
Research has revealed that this picture was painted on top of a previous one. To save money, Van Gogh frequently re-used his canvases in this way.