Irises
1890 Metropolitan Museum of Art
About this artwork
"Irises" is a significant work painted by Vincent van Gogh during his stay at the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, a year before his death. It was originally owned by the French art critic and anarchist Octave Mirbeau, who was one of van Gogh's first supporters.
Did you know?
Despite being painted during a period of mental distress at an asylum, Van Gogh did not view "Irises" as a troubled work; rather, he called it "the lightning conductor for my illness," suggesting it offered him a measure of solace and control. The painting was first exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants in September 1889, where its beauty was immediately recognized, though Van Gogh himself considered it merely a study.
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Irises
Vincent van Gogh, 1890
