Vincent van Gogh - Roses (1890) - Paper Poster N197

Paper Poster | Canvas Print | Digital File

1. Historical and Artistic Context

Vincent van Gogh painted Roses in May 1890 during the final days of his stay at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where he had been voluntarily committed since May 1889. This painting was part of a series of four large floral still lifes—two of irises and two of roses—that he created with remarkable speed and enthusiasm just before his departure. These works were conceived as a farewell to the Provence chapter of his life and artistic development. At this time, Van Gogh had recently emerged from one of the worst periods of mental instability in his life, a winter marked by illness and incapacitation. The arrival of spring brought him renewed energy, and with it came an extraordinary surge of creativity. In letters to his brother Theo, Van Gogh described working “as in a frenzy,” painting great bouquets of irises and roses. He was also excited about returning to northern France to be closer to Theo, Jo, and their newborn son, Vincent Willem. In this brief, optimistic interlude, Van Gogh experienced a sense of serenity and control that is evident in Roses. He conceived the series with intention: just as the Sunflowers of Arles had been a symbol of friendship and a decorative series for the Yellow House, so too did he aim for Roses and Irises to work in harmony. Each pair included a horizontal and vertical composition, with complementary color schemes—pink and green for the roses, violet and yellow for the irises. The horizontal Roses now in Washington, D.C. was painted alongside the vertical Roses now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This period marked one of the last moments of true calm in Van Gogh’s life; he would take his life less than three months later in July 1890. Roses stands not only as a masterpiece of color and composition but also as a poignant document of a fragile peace at the close of an artist’s tumultuous journey.

2. Technical and Stylistic Analysis

Roses demonstrates Van Gogh’s mature Post-Impressionist style through its bold, dynamic brushwork, thick paint application, and expressive use of color. The painting features a lush bouquet of roses arranged in a green vase, set against a similarly toned green background and table. The composition is loosely symmetrical, with the bouquet exploding outward and upward in organic, slightly chaotic clusters. This lack of rigid structure contributes to a sense of natural abundance and spontaneity. The background is painted in varied shades of green, with directional brushstrokes that add a sense of subtle motion to what could otherwise be a static composition. The flowers are formed with short, curling strokes and patches of color that suggest depth and the texture of petals. Van Gogh’s outlines—often in blue or deep green—are used not to contain but to highlight the rhythmic movement of form. The horizontal orientation of the Washington version contributes to a calm, expansive feel. The vase is placed slightly off-center, adding compositional interest without disrupting balance. The tabletop is rendered in a light, almost white tone, anchoring the scene while emphasizing the brightness of the flowers. Although the roses appear white today, they were originally painted in shades of pink—Van Gogh himself wrote of “a canvas of pink roses against a green background.” Over time, the red lake pigments in the pink paint have faded, leaving behind a more subdued palette. Still, the tonal harmony between the faded roses and the surrounding greens creates a tranquil and refreshing atmosphere. Stylistically, Roses exemplifies Van Gogh’s fascination with Japanese prints, particularly in its flat perspective, decorative patterning, and emphasis on expressive line over realistic depth. It also aligns with his ongoing exploration of complementary colors—pink and green being a favored pair—and his belief that visual contrast could heighten emotional response. The overall result is a still life that breathes and pulses with life, despite its quiet subject.

3. Symbolism and Interpretation

Although Van Gogh did not explicitly assign symbolic meaning to Roses, his correspondence and the broader context of his work suggest a few compelling interpretations. Most broadly, the painting is seen as a symbol of renewal and hope. Van Gogh was recovering from illness and looking forward to a new beginning in Auvers-sur-Oise. The roses, fully bloomed and spilling out of the vase with almost uncontainable energy, represent this moment of emotional clarity and creative rebirth. There is also a quiet drama to the piece. The fallen petals on the tabletop suggest the ephemeral nature of beauty and life—a subtle memento mori. Van Gogh had long been fascinated by life’s transience, and even in this serene painting, there is an undertone of inevitable decay. Yet unlike his more brooding or melancholic works, Roses strikes a note of calm acceptance. The flowers are not idealized but alive, imperfect, and real. The color choice—originally pink against green—is key to its symbolic resonance. Pink, associated with warmth, tenderness, and joy, is balanced by green, a color of growth, nature, and stability. Even though the pinks have faded, the emotional logic of the painting remains. Some art historians have also pointed out that Van Gogh’s floral still lifes, including Roses, can be read as self-portraits of mood. In this interpretation, the flowers reflect the artist’s own inner state: a moment of balance, beauty, and peace achieved through the act of painting. In contrast to the turmoil of works like The Starry Night, Roses communicates a more grounded emotional truth. It invites the viewer into a quiet space of reflection and appreciation. If Sunflowers was about radiance and friendship, Roses might be about renewal and serenity.

4. Technique and Materials

Van Gogh painted Roses in oil on canvas using a relatively large format—approximately 71 by 90 cm. He employed his characteristic impasto technique, applying the paint in thick layers that create rich texture and tactile depth. The flowers’ petals are built up with short, curling strokes of the brush, each petal defined by its own movement. The heavy application of oil made the drying process long—Van Gogh even noted in a letter to Theo that the paintings would take a month to dry, and he had to leave them behind at the asylum to be sent later. The background is built with lighter, more fluid strokes, mostly diagonal, lending an ethereal atmosphere to the green wall. The tabletop is rendered with minimal detail, serving as a neutral space that grounds the composition. Van Gogh’s choice of pigments included zinc white, chrome green, and red lake—a pigment particularly vulnerable to light fading, which explains the change in the roses’ color over time. Recent technical analysis using X-ray fluorescence and pigment microscopy has confirmed that the original blooms were shades of pink. Conservation efforts have included digital reconstructions of what the painting likely looked like when it was first created. Van Gogh also paid attention to the tools he used. He had ordered fine brushes made from “fitch” (a type of weasel hair) to allow for greater precision in rendering the multiple overlapping petals of the densely clustered roses. His materials and tools reflect both his expressive spontaneity and his technical discipline—he cared deeply about how to achieve the textural and visual effects he envisioned. The canvas is a standard weave, prepared with a ground layer of off-white or light grey, allowing the paint to retain vibrancy. In short, Roses represents not just emotional or symbolic depth but also an example of meticulous material control.

5. Cultural Impact

Over time, Roses has become one of Van Gogh’s most beloved floral still lifes, contributing significantly to his reputation as a master of emotional and expressive color. Its gentle palette and expansive composition make it a popular choice for reproductions, posters, and home décor, yet this accessibility has not diminished its standing among scholars or museums. The painting has been featured in major retrospectives and is regularly included in publications about Van Gogh’s work, especially in discussions of his final productive months. Culturally, Roses offers an important counterpoint to the myth of Van Gogh as a tortured, unstable artist. It shows a side of him that is calm, reflective, and in control of his craft. In this way, it has helped to balance public understanding of Van Gogh’s character and legacy. The 2015 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which reunited all four of the floral still lifes from May 1890, was a significant cultural event, drawing attention to these works as a coherent and intentional series. Critics lauded the exhibition for allowing audiences to experience the emotional logic of the quartet. Roses has also had a more subtle cultural impact through its use in media, documentaries, and literature about Van Gogh. It frequently appears in films or books that seek to show the quieter, more introspective side of his life. In education, the painting is used to illustrate the development of Post-Impressionist still life and the importance of expressive color theory in modern art. In sum, Roses plays a vital role in the cultural understanding of Van Gogh as not only a genius of passion and turbulence but also a master of serenity and subtlety.

6. Critical Reception and Scholarly Interpretations

Early critical response to Roses was limited, as Van Gogh died before his still lifes from 1890 became widely known. However, as interest in his work grew in the early 20th century, Roses began to receive more scholarly attention. It was included in major retrospectives and became known for its balance of emotional expression and decorative beauty. Scholars such as Meyer Schapiro, John Rewald, and more recently, curators at the Van Gogh Museum and The Met, have praised the work for its compositional intelligence and psychological depth. Art historians have often contrasted Roses with Van Gogh’s earlier, more emotionally turbulent works like Wheatfield with Crows or The Night Café. Where those paintings confront the viewer with intensity and unease, Roses invites contemplation and calm. The fading of the original pink color has also spurred scholarly interest. Restoration scientists and art historians have collaborated to understand the pigment degradation, and this has become a textbook example of how color chemistry affects our understanding of historical artworks. The digital reconstructions have furthered interpretive discussions about what Van Gogh intended. Many scholars now frame Roses as a pivotal work in Van Gogh’s evolution—a bridge between the passionate experimentation of Arles and the more refined, lyrical works of Auvers. In this light, Roses is not just a pretty picture of flowers, but a manifesto of recovery and hope. Critics have continued to highlight this duality: its visual serenity against its tragic historical context. This tension—between surface calm and underlying pain—adds to its interpretive richness and its enduring appeal.

7. Museum, Provenance and Exhibition History

Van Gogh created two versions of Roses: one now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the other in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Washington version, a horizontal composition, was initially left behind at the asylum in Saint-Rémy because the paint was still drying. It was later shipped to Van Gogh in Auvers. After his death, it passed through several collectors, including Paul Gallimard, and eventually made its way into American hands. It was donated to the National Gallery in 1991 by the estate of Pamela Harriman in memory of her husband W. Averell Harriman. The vertical version, now at The Met, was originally in the possession of Van Gogh’s mother and then passed to Johanna van Gogh-Bonger. It too entered the art market through Paul Cassirer and was owned by Margarete Oppenheim. During the Nazi era, it was confiscated and later restituted after the war to the heirs of Georg Hirschland. It was eventually acquired by the philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg and gifted to The Met. The paintings have been included in numerous important exhibitions, including the 1905 Amsterdam retrospective and the landmark 2015 Met exhibition. They are now considered permanent highlights of their respective collections and are frequently cited in scholarly publications and educational materials.

8. Interesting Facts (at least 10)
1. Van Gogh originally painted the roses pink, but the pigment has faded to near white over time due to the instability of red lake pigments.
2. Roses was painted in the last month of Van Gogh’s stay at the asylum and was left behind to dry due to thick paint application.
3. The painting was part of a planned series of four floral works, including Irises and two Roses.
4. Van Gogh saw these works as comparable to his famous Sunflowers series.
5. The green vase in the painting was likely a simple ceramic jug from the asylum’s garden.
6. One version of the painting was confiscated by the Nazis during WWII and later restituted.
7. Van Gogh ordered special fine brushes for painting roses with high detail.
8. Despite their serenity, the Roses paintings were created in a frenzy of productivity.
9. They were shown together for the first time since Van Gogh’s death in 2015 at The Met.
10. Van Gogh described the process of painting Roses as “absolutely serene,” marking one of the few peaceful periods in his life.

9. Conclusion

Vincent van Gogh’s Roses (1890) is much more than a still life—it is a profound visual testament to the artist’s inner peace, fleeting yet powerful, during the final weeks of his life. Created at a moment of creative and emotional clarity, the painting represents the culmination of Van Gogh’s stylistic development and emotional exploration. Through its subtle color palette, dynamic brushwork, and serene composition, Roses captures the delicate balance between life’s beauty and its transience. It bridges Van Gogh’s more turbulent emotional works and his desire for harmony and resolution. Technically refined and symbolically rich, Roses has inspired generations of viewers and scholars alike. Today, it stands as a silent, blooming witness to the artist’s final season of hope—and remains one of the most poignant and admired works in the history of modern art.