Eugène Brands | Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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untitled, 1954
oil unknown, 25x25cmA red hot glowing fruit tree is portrayed with branches that are surrounded by a golden yellow hue. The oversized black tree trunk is a curiously prominent feature. Although the artist applied broad brushstrokes, there is an immense subtlety to this little work, as everything seems to be bathed in light.
The fantastical tree could be interpreted in a metaphysical way. Trees are widespread motifs in different cultures and religions. The tree is often seen as a link between heaven and earth. In Christianity, for example, the tree plays a central role in the legend of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, in which Eve picked the forbidden fruit. Perhaps this little artwork refers to the story if the two red birds that populate the foreground symbolise Adam and Eve.