Vase with Irises , Vincent Van Gogh Serving Tray

Still Life: Vase with Irises Against a Yellow Background stands out as one of Vincent van Gogh's most well-known floral still life paintings. The one period in which Van Gogh produced very few still lifes was during his stay in Saint-Rémy. Perhaps this was because the surrounding landscape of Saint-Rémy was so inviting-the olive groves and soaring cypresses were far more interesting to Van Gogh who so loved to paint outdoors. For him, the painting was mainly a study of 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. Using Zazzle's advanced design tools, you can personalize each piece to make a one-of-a-kind gift for any occasion.