Tapestry Art: Van Gogh Irises

Vincent Van Gogh painted Irises during his first week at an asylum, on the last year before his suicide. Today it is considered one of the most famous paintings in the whole world, and it ranks with other masterpieces as the Mona Lisa as one of the most expensive, with a current value of $97.5 million. There are no known sketches for Irises; Van Gogh himself thought it to be a mere study. Thankfully for art historians and for the rest of the world, his brother Theo saw its other redeeming qualities and submitted it for an exhibition, whereupon the history and value of Irises were sealed forever.

Van Gogh carefully studied the movements and shapes of the iris, which explains why each and every one of the irises in the painting is unique in its own. He created a beautiful mixture of silhouettes all curved and bounded by twisting, wavy lines. The irises, painted with so much vivid color, overflow onto the borders. This cropped composition, many art critics say, are influenced by woodblock prints and decorative patterns of Japanese design. They share many similarities, including close-up views, severe outlines, non-traditional angles and also colors that are not patterned after the fall of natural light.

Irises is only one among many of the paintings on flowers that Van Gogh did during his stay at the asylum. He considered painting, especially painting flowers, as some sort of lightning conductor for his illness. He thought that he could avoid his mental problems by continuing to paint and immerse himself in the arts. Despite his illness, Van Gogh truly understood the nature of this beautiful flower and he translated this mastery onto his canvass.

Irises surely make for a fabulous decoration for your home or office. Many discerning homeowners with an eye for elegance and sophistication have chosen to grace their homes and offices with prints or reproductions of Van Gogh paintings such as this.

Though it is valued at close to a hundred million dollars, ordinary folks could treat themselves to this work of art, thanks to the many prints, reproductions, wall decor and tapestries of this ever-famous painting. Prints are available in museums or art stores, in many various sizes. Some tapestries are available online as well. They are woven from Jacquard looms and pure cotton yarn, and include rods and brackets so you can hang them easily in the room of your choice.

Tapestry Art, Van Gogh Irises
One of the most famous works-of-art in the world is Irises, by Van Gogh.