Vincent in Saint-Rémy
(1890) 

Vincent painted the next pic, one of his most famous flower still lifes at the end of his stay in the psychiatric hospital in Saint-Rémy. For him, the painting was mainly a study in colour. He set out to achieve a powerful colour contrast. By placing the purple flowers against a yellow background, he made the decorative forms stand out even more strongly. The irises were originally purple. But as the red pigment has faded, they have turned blue. Van Gogh made two paintings of this bouquet. In the other still life, he contrasted purple and pink with green.

Still Life: Vase with Irises Against a Yellow Background


May, 1890
Oil on canvas
92.0 x 73.5 cm. 


Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0050V1962