Genesis- The tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the garden
The tree in painting often represents ambivalence between nature and symbolism
The Tree of Knowledge
Adam and Eve ate the fruit, good and evil.
Confusion and disarray of man
Structure of the tree is the clarity of thought
The Tree as a Symbol of Life
Life Force it has seasonal renewal
It links three worlds, terrestrial (earthly), aerial (sky) and subterranean (underground)
It ascends through the branches and reaches beyond itself towards the light, possibly signifying new beginnings new photographic techniques, end of painting start of photography
Symbolises human perfection, links to the picturesque period.
The Tree as a Cross
Jesus died on a cross cut from a tree grown over the tomb of Adam, Adam ate from a tree.
Part of the tree on which Adam sinned, grew into a great tree that survived until the time of Solomon
The saviour of the world would be hung on that wood
Explains why Christ was depicted as Crucied on a tree
The Tree and Wood Cutter
Religious context
Cutting down a tree, sawing wood will always be connected with the suffering of Christ