Artwork
Irises
Irises is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses exclusively on the flowers, presenting them as the sole subject without additional narrative elements or human figures.
Created in 1890 at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, this oil painting depicts irises, classifying the work as a still life. The composition focuses exclusively on the flowers, presenting them as the sole subject without additional narrative elements or human figures. While the piece captures the botanical form of the iris, the available records do not elaborate on specific iconographic traditions or explicit symbolic meanings intended by the artist.
Consequently, the work represents a direct study of floral subjects within the still-life genre, emphasizing the visual characteristics of the blooms rather than conveying a documented allegorical message.
Technique & Style
Van Gogh executed Irises as an oil painting on canvas, measuring approximately 73.7 × 92.1 cm, produced in Saint‑Rémy‑de‑Provence in 1890. He applied thick, expressive brushstrokes and vivid, contrasting colors typical of his late period, using oil paint to render the delicate petals and foliage in a still‑life composition. The work’s surface shows the characteristic impasto texture of the medium, while the handling of light and color emphasizes the flowers’ structural forms and creates a sense of movement across the picture plane. The painting’s condition remains stable, preserving the original canvas support and pigment layer.
History & Provenance
Irises was painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1890 in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, executed in oil on canvas. The work passed through a succession of private owners before entering a public collection. Robert von Mendelssohn, Giulietta Gordigiani, and Francesco von Mendelssohn each held the painting at different points, followed by the dealer Paul Rosenberg. The work is now held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Overview
Vincent van Gogh's painting, Irises, is an oil still life created in 1896. This work captures a vibrant arrangement of iris flowers, rendered with distinctive brushwork. It is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it offers a glimpse into the artist's engagement with natural forms and expressive color.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art.
