Vincent van Gogh Paintings » flowers

Van Gogh: Sunflowers

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:59:35 +0000

Sunflowers are the theme of twelve paintings by Vincent van Gogh, which were executed in two series of still lifes. The first sunflower series was painted 1887 in Paris, while the second sunflower series was executed in Arles, 1888.

The Paris sunflowers are laying on the ground, the Arles sunflower series however features a bouquet of the flowers in a vase. Famous is the painting »Twelve sunflowers in a vase«, which was painted in August 1888 in Arles (France), together with the other paintings »Five Sunflowers«, »Fifteen Sunflowers« or »Three Sunflowers in a Vase«.

Van Gogh’s Sunflower paintings were executed for the arrival of his fellow painter Paul Gauguin. As Vincent wrote in Letter 526 to his brother Theo van Gogh hoped to live together with Paul Gauguin in the studio and prepared the paintings this for. “Nothing but pure big sunflowers … If I execute this plan, there will be a dozen pictures. Everything will be a symphony in blue and yellow. I’m working all day on it beginning at sunrise. As the flowers fade quickly, everything has to be done quickly.”

Irises - Painting by Vincent van Gogh

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:30:37 +0000

Vincent van Gogh: Irises

Irises is one of the paintings Vincent van Gogh executed in 1889, the last year before his suicide. Irises was executed as oil on canvas, with the dimensions of 71 cm × 93 cm. Today it is exhibited in J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California.
Van Gogh painted Irises when he was in the asylum of the Monastery of St. Paul de Mausole in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, soon before his first attack he had there and has some relevance in this regard as he spoke about the painting as “the lightning conductor for my illness”. Van Gogh was positive to escape from becoming insane if he kept one with painting.
Irises has some influences of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printings, a quite common influence during those times. Vincent van Gogh considered Irises rather to be a a study, hence even a sketch is missing. However, his brother Theo quickly realized the importance of this painting and did not hesitate to submitt it to the annual exhibition of the Société des Artistes Indépendants where it was exhibited in 1889, together with Vincent’s painting Starry Night Over the Rhone.

Almond Branches in Bloom vy Vincent van Gogh

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:23:09 +0000

Almond Branches in Bloom - Painting by Vincent van Gogh - Click to enlarge

The Almond Branches in Blossom is a painting by Vincent Van Gogh which was executed in Saint Remy during 1890, the year of Vincent’s death. Almond branches in blossom was painted as oil on canvas, having the dimensions of 73.5 cm × 92 cm and is today exhibited in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Almond Branches in Blossom was a gift that Vincent made to his brother Theo Van Gogh and his wife Johanna Bonger for the birth of their son, named Vincent Willem; Vincent’s nephew.

The work itself is a representation of a branch of almond flowers, white petals, almost pearlescent, which silhouette against a blue sky with turquoise shades. Van Gogh chose the branches of the almond tree as a symbol of life, since the almond tree is one of the earliest flowering trees, which uses (at least in the sunny south) already in February the upcoming spring.