Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase

Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase is a defining oil on canvas painting created by Vincent van Gogh in 1890. This late-period still life exemplifies the expressive power and distinctive technique that defined the Post-Impressionist movement. Executed during the final months of the artist’s life, likely while Gogh was residing in Auvers-sur-Oise, the piece captures a moment of intense, albeit temporary, creative stability following his stay at the asylum in Saint-Rémy. The subject matter focuses entirely on the vibrant presentation of flowers, a frequent and personally significant motif for the artist during this final period.

The canvas utilizes Gogh's characteristic impasto technique, where thick, textured applications of oil paint convey powerful energy and motion, particularly visible in the rendering of the petals and the agitated background. Unlike earlier academic still life traditions, Gogh prioritizes subjective emotional expression over objective realism, making the focus less on botanical accuracy and more on the dynamic arrangement of the flowers themselves. The composition bursts with rich, complementary colors, drawing the viewer into the intense vibrancy of the subject. This significant work is held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Because of its historical classification, this masterpiece is often reproduced, and high-quality prints and photographic representations of this public domain artwork are widely accessible for study and appreciation.