Irises is one of the most unabashedly beautiful painting, admired – even beloved – by both casual and committed art lovers.
Vincent Willem van Gogh (March 30, 1853 in Zundert – July 29, 1890 in Auvers-sur-Oise) was a Dutch draughtsman and painter, classified as a Post-Impressionist. His paintings and drawings include some of the world's best known, most popular and most expensive pieces.
In early May 1889, Vincent van Gogh arrived in Saint-Remy, a small town in the Midi of France. He left one year later.
Irises was the last painting he did during the last week at Saint –Remy.
Vincent suffered from recurrent bouts of mental illness — about which there are many competing theories — and during one such episode, famously cut off a part of his left ear.
The Irises was painted before his first attack at the asylum. There is a lack of the high tension which is seen in his later works. He called the painting "the lightning conductor for my illness", because he felt that he could keep himself from going insane by continuing to paint.
The painting was influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, like many of his works and those by other artists of the time. The similarities occur with strong outlines, unusual angles, including close-up views and also flattish local color (not modeled according to the fall of light).
This bouquet of blue irises in an ochre vase against a bright yellow background records his enduring consideration of what he called ‘the color question’.
These flowers were painted in fields or gardens or placed in vases.
On July 27, 1890, Vincent shot himself. He died two days later. Vincent was 37 years old.
About 25 years after Vincent’s death, people began to admire his art. Today, he is considered one of the most famous painter of all time. Many museum around the world show his art.
In 1987, it became the most expensive painting ever sold when it was sold for AUS $54,000,000 to Alan Bond, but he did not have enough money to pay for it and it had to be re-sold.
Irises was acquired by the J. Paul Getty Museum in 1990 at a price believed to be in the neighborhood of $50 million.
Painting of Irises by Vincent van Gogh
