We are grateful to A. Kouria for her assistance in confirming the authenticity of this lot.

Provenance
Private collection, Athens.

In the hands of Economou, an aged olive tree shaped by time and the elements becomes a real protagonist, transformed into an evocative vision of humble monumentality. Set against one of the artist's signature adobe structures, the massive tree dominates the picture plane, allowing the viewer to closely examine the irregularities that establish its individual character. Its bark is composed of countless quick touches of thick impasto suggesting the trunk's rough texture, while the gnarled curves of its branches create a vivid surface pattern. The picture is further animated by the wonderful if enigmatic reflections in the foreground -another distinctive characteristic of Economou's landscape views- that actively contribute to the compositional structure, endowing the picture with a gentle vibrating pulse.