'… that’s to say the murmur of an olive grove has something very intimate, immensely old about it.’
Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theo, Arles, Sunday, 28 April 1889.
Connection between people and nature
Van Gogh and the Olive Groves was presented at the Van Gogh Museum in 2022. The exhibition was dedicated to fifteen of Van Gogh’s masterpieces: each one an homage to the olive tree. Organised with the support of Monini, Van Gogh and the Olive Groves celebrated the olive tree as a powerful symbol that, for Vincent, perfectly embodied the bond between people and nature. The gnarled forms of the olive trees reflected his artistic journey and inner struggles.
For Monini, the olive tree conveys a message of hope: it nourishes both body and soul, and serves as a source of inspiration for a better future, founded on quality, harmony and respect for the natural world around us.
Willem van Gogh, great-grandson of Vincent van Gogh’s brother Theo and Advisor to the Board of the Van Gogh Museum:
‘For Vincent, olive trees signified consolation, eternity and unity with nature. We are delighted that, thanks to the support of Monini, the Van Gogh Museum is able to shine a spotlight on this important theme in Van Gogh’s oeuvre.’
