Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

In his Painting Index, Burchfield titled this work “Willow Trees.” He exaggerated their airy profiles with a suggestion of lacy profile, slender leaf patterns, and minimal branches to accentuate the light piercing their volume of sky. In contrast, the grounded landscape is packed with green trees and simple neighborhood structures. The view from beneath a massive tree that literally blackens a fifth of the sky, contributes to a sense that the two willows are dancing in revelry.