Irises by Vincent Van Gogh Cushion

Irises by Vincent Van Gogh, oil on canvas 1889, is a painting of a patch of blossoming, brilliant violet and white iris flowers in a flower garden. Painted from life during the artist’s stay in Arles in the south of France, the painting builds short, swirling brushstrokes and flowing, coloured contour outlines into a composition that captures the inner life, growth, form and movement of the flowering plants with their long, dynamic green leaves. Van Gogh here has synthesized the lessons of French Impressionism into his own unique and original vision, with exaggerated jewel-like colours that give the effects of stained glass. Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890) was a Dutch painter of the Post-Impressionist movement known for bold, expressive drawing, swirling brushstrokes and intense, heightened colours. In early adulthood Van Gogh worked as an art dealer, teacher and pastor before taking up the full time study of drawing and painting in his late twenties. Influenced by Rembrandt, the 19th century Realists and Barbizon school, Van Gogh’s early paintings featured studies of workers and peasants in sombre earth tones. Moving to France in 1886, Van Gogh met with the startling innovations of the Impressionist painters and began to apply their approach to colour and subject matter, which continued into the mature style for which the artist is most renowned. Van Gogh produced many hundreds of drawings and paintings including portraits, landscapes, still life and flower paintings, and numerous self-portraits that became a dominating influence on the modern art of the 20th century and made him one of the most popular artists of all time.