It was painted just a few weeks before his death. It depicts the Romanesque-style church in the small town of Auvers-sur-Oise, where van Gogh had been living and working for several months. The painting is notable for its use of light and color to convey a sense of spiritual intensity.

It has been interpreted in various ways, with some art historians seeing it as a representation of van Gogh's own inner turmoil, while others see it as a celebration of the beauty and power of nature. The crows in the painting have been interpreted as a symbol of death and darkness, or as a sign of hope and redemption.

Dr. Paul Gachet, a physician who was treating van Gogh for his mental illness, who had become a close friend of the artist. The painting is notable for its emotional intensity. Van Gogh was deeply interested in the emotional and psychological aspects of portraiture, and many of his paintings explore the inner lives of his subjects.