The bright early summer sunlight illuminates the abundant blossom on the branches of the apple tree. During his stay in France between 1873 and 1877, Carl Fredrik Hill was highly productive. All over northern France he found places that inspired him to explore the shifting light and its effects on the natural world in his paintings. Fruit trees in blossom were a popular motif for the Swedish artists who travelled to France to devote themselves to plein-air painting.