Description
Van Gogh painted Irises the year before his death, in 1889, during his stay in the Saint Remy de Provence asylum. Van Gogh often used painting as a way to keep from going crazy, and this painting was one of those works.
The painting was painted before his first mental attack in the asylum. Van Gogh sent the painting to his brother Theo, who immediately sent it to the Salon des Independants later that year, where it was exhibited to much praise. The painting continued to set high price records at auction until it was sold to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles in 1990.
Each of Van Gogh's lilies is unique. The artist carefully studied their movements and forms to create a variety of silhouettes delimited by wavy, twisted and curly lines. The painting's first owner, French art critic Octave Mirbeau, one of Van Gogh's earliest fans, wrote: "How well he has understood the exquisite nature of flowers!"
The painting was painted before his first mental attack in the asylum. Van Gogh sent the painting to his brother Theo, who immediately sent it to the Salon des Independants later that year, where it was exhibited to much praise. The painting continued to set high price records at auction until it was sold to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles in 1990.
Each of Van Gogh's lilies is unique. The artist carefully studied their movements and forms to create a variety of silhouettes delimited by wavy, twisted and curly lines. The painting's first owner, French art critic Octave Mirbeau, one of Van Gogh's earliest fans, wrote: "How well he has understood the exquisite nature of flowers!"