Vincent Van Gogh was born in the year 1853 in Netherlands. He decided to shape his art career in between 1860 and 1880. He decided to spread happiness by means of creating beauty. As a Dutch post impressionist artist he created many paintings and drawings out of which some are the most famous and the most expensive. In the beginning of his art career, he worked with somber colors.
Throughout his life, he created above 2,000 works which include about 900 paintings, 1100 drawings and sketches. It is surprising to know that most of his famous works were produced during the last two years of his life. Van Gogh is considered as the pioneer in art expressionism casting tremendous influence on 20th century art. Throughout his career, he produced many expensive artworks. "Irises" is one such example.
Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh created "Irises" in 1890. The painting is kept in J. Paul Getty Museum, California, Los Angeles.
Analysis of Irises:
"Irises" was created by the Dutch artist while he was in an asylum at Saint Paul-de-Mausole in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, spending the final years of his life. Van Gogh created this brilliant artwork just the year before his death in 1890. "Irises" was created by Van Gogh before his first life taking attack in the asylum. The high tension which is clearly visible in Gogh's latter works clearly misses out in "Irises".
Vincent van Gogh use to call this painting as "the lightning conductor of my illness". He used to call it so because he felt that by continuing his artworks even in that miserable condition, he will be able to keep himself away from being mad. Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints had influenced this painting to a great extent. Many of Van Gogh's works along with other painters of his time reflect an influence of these Japanese woodblocks. This similarity could be seen in the use of strong outlines, local color, and many unusual angles like close up views. Gogh considered his painting as a study and that is why there is no similar drawing for the painting. The painting was submitted in the annual exhibition of 'Société des Artistes Indépendants' by Gogh's brother and created the history of being one of the most expensive paintings.
The Most Expensive Painting:
French art critic Octave Mirbeau immediately bought the painting just after its creation. Octave paid 300 francs for "Irises" setting a record of the most expensive painting ever sold. This record stood for about 2 and a half years and Irises was resold for 54,000,000 AUS$ to Alan Bond, but as he could not pay the amount it was sold again. At present "Irises" is in the seventh position in the list of the most expensive paintings ever sold.
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