Auvers-sur-Oise, a picturesque village close to Paris known for its artistic history, is now at the center of a significant controversy surrounding Vincent Van Gogh's last artwork, "Tree Roots." The painter spent his final days in this town, and recent findings have confirmed that the roots he illustrated in his final piece exist in their original location, leading to disputes regarding their preservation.
For many years, there was ambiguity surrounding which of Van Gogh's works was his last, mainly due to the absence of dates on his pieces. However, in 2020, experts determined that "Tree Roots" was completed on the very day of his death, reigniting interest in the actual roots depicted in the painting. This revelation has set off a legal battle between the local municipality and the private owners of the land where the roots are located.
The significant root, said to resemble an elephant, belongs to a black locust tree and is situated next to a public road. Following the identification of the roots' historical context, the municipality asserted control over a portion of the private property to manage the site as a public domain. The property owners, Jean-François and Hélène Serlinger, challenged this claim, and an appeals court ruled that the municipality did not have a valid basis for its takeover.
Despite the court ruling, the mayor of Auvers, Isabelle Mézières, remains resolute in her commitment to fight for public ownership of the site, underscoring her view that the roots should be accessible to the community. "The Roots belong to the Auversois!" she declared on social media, reflecting her stance that these historical artifacts should not be subject to private ownership.
As summer approaches, the dispute casts a shadow over Auvers-sur-Oise, where art tourism contributes significantly to the local economy. The ongoing conflict not only complicates matters for the community but also interrupts a season that typically draws art lovers to explore the legacy of one of history’s greatest painters.
