Five Ways of Seeing Van Gogh’s Irises

How people enjoy Van Gogh’s iconic Irises at the Getty Center

Painting of blue irises in a field, with one white iris on the left side.

Irises, 1889, Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 29 1/4 x 37 1/8 in. Getty Museum, 90.PA.20

By Chenglin Lee

Jul 29, 2015

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Last Friday, with the 125th anniversary of Van Gogh’s death approaching, I visited one of the most popular pieces at the Getty Museum: Irises.

Through conversations with visitors, my own observations, research, and random musings, I’ve collected five different ways people come to view this Van Gogh masterpiece.

Detail of painting of blue irises in a field.

Detail of Irises, 1889, Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas, 29 1/4 x 37 1/8 in. J. Paul Getty Museum.

1. In a Crowd

One of the most obvious ways that people see the painting is in a crowd. The gallery is almost always filled, and you might have to wait before you can get up close. The anticipation builds as you start in the back row, and slowly move until you are close enough to see the brushstrokes of Van Gogh’s thick paint.

2. Online

David from Colorado said that this was his first visit, but he had already seen the painting online. In addition to being available through the Getty’s Open Content program, the painting is often seen on social media. Just search #irises on Instagram for a taste of the painting’s popularity.

Photograph of figure standing backwards, in front of a painting depicting blue Irises

A visitor looking at Van Gogh's Irises in the Getty's gallery.

3. Alone

With a little luck and an early arrival to the museum, you just might be able to enjoy Irises alone. If you arrive right at 10 a.m. when the museum opens, the quiet gallery provides a perfect backdrop to really examine the painting. Solitude and seclusion gives the gallery a sense of intimacy that makes it one of my favorite ways to see it.

4. Multiple Times

During my observations I noticed people often came back to see the painting multiple times in one day. I wonder if it’s due to its emotional complexity. One visitor felt the painting is filled with melancholy and sadness, pointing out Van Gogh’s stay in an asylum and the lone, white flower in the midst of the vibrant, purple irises. On the opposite end of the spectrum, another viewer felt the painting is full of joy, pointing out how vibrant the colors were, and how they manage to rise out of the seemingly dry, brown dirt.

5. Internationally

Visitors from all across the world viewed this famous Van Gogh. In just one hour I heard multiple languages—French, Italian, Chinese, Korean, German, and more. Irises seems to rise above cultural boundaries—a Dutch painting inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e prints—to strike an emotional resonance amongst all viewers.

Photograph of figure standing backwards, in front of a painting depicting blue Irises

Looking at Irises by Vincent van Gogh

One of the great things about art is how we all bring our own perspectives to it. How do you see Irises? Let us know in the comments.

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