Irises

In May 1890, shortly before leaving the asylum at Saint-Rémy, Vincent van Gogh painted four vibrant bouquets of spring flowers, the most ambitious still lifes of his yearlong confinement. Comprising two compositions of irises and two of roses, the series explores contrasting color harmonies and formats. In Irises, Van Gogh aimed for a “harmonious and soft” effect by setting violet blooms against a pink ground, a background that has since faded due to his use of unstable red pigments. Another painting from this group, Roses, is displayed nearby, and both works remained in the possession of the artist’s mother until her death in 1907.