Irises Shawl 80'' x 20''

In May 1890, just before his departure from the asylum in Saint-Rémy, Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890) painted an exceptional group of four floral still life's, to which the Irises (and also Roses) belong. Striking in their facility of execution and elegant simplicity of design, these lush bouquets and their two counterparts were conceived as a decorative ensemble, like the suite of sunflowers he had made earlier in Arles.Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890), the eldest son of a Dutch Reformed minister and a bookseller's daughter, pursued various vocations, including that of an art dealer and clergyman, before deciding to become an artist at the age of 27. Throughout the course of his decade-long career (1880-90), he produced nearly 900 paintings and more than 1,100 works on paper. Ironically, in 1890, he modestly assessed his artistic legacy as "of very secondary importance."