description Irises Overview
Irises is an oil painting made by Vincent van Gogh in 1889 soon after he entered the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It presents a dense bed of purple-blue irises cropped at the edges, with a single pale flower standing apart amid green leaves and orange soil. Van Gogh drew on close observation and the flattened contours of Japanese prints, and the painting's 1987 auction sale briefly set a record price for a work of art.
insights Ranking position
Irises ranks #38 of 160 in the Painting ranking, behind The Two Fridas, ahead of Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette.
help Irises FAQ
Did Van Gogh paint Irises inside the Saint-Paul asylum?
Van Gogh painted the flowers in the asylum garden at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole in Saint-Rémy. He began working there soon after admitting himself in May 1889 and treated painting as part of his recovery.
Why is one iris white while the others are blue and violet?
The pale flower creates a focal point within a field of varied, individually drawn plants. Van Gogh also set the cool irises against reddish soil and orange marigolds, using complementary colors to intensify the garden.
How much did Irises sell for at the famous 1987 auction?
Irises sold at Sotheby's in 1987 for $53.9 million, then a record auction price for a painting. The J. Paul Getty Museum later acquired the work, and it is now in Los Angeles.
Was Irises influenced by Japanese prints?
Its cropped viewpoint, strong outlines, and shallow-looking field reflect Van Gogh's interest in Japanese ukiyo-e prints. That influence also appears in works such as Flowering Plum Orchard, which he based directly on a print by Utagawa Hiroshige.
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