“These last days we have had rather bad weather here, but today it was a real spring day, and the fields of young wheat, with the violet hills in the distance, are so beautiful, and the almond trees are beginning to blossom everywhere.”

While living in Arles in the spring of 1888 Van Gogh was captivated by the flowering trees and orchards in bloom.  On April 2, 1888, Vincent wrote to his brother Theo,

“I’m in a fever of work since the trees are in blossom and I want to do a Provençal orchard full of enormous brightness.” 

Some of his works from this time include Pink Peach Tree in Blossom, 1888, The White Orchard, 1888 and Orchard in Blossom Bordered by Cypresses, 1888 shown below.

Van Gogh’s depiction of spring is timeless.  Although the trees and flowers may not be the same in different parts of the globe, the beauty of spring can be seen all over the world. If you are visiting The Netherlands this spring, you can experience a bit of nature along with Van Gogh at both The Van Gogh Museum and the Keukenhof Gardens.  Van Gogh in Bloom is a package promotion for visitors to see the “Blossom” exhibition at the Van Gogh museum as well as the beautiful tulips and other flowers at the Keukenhof including a flower mosaic of Van Gogh’s Self-portrait with felt hat. 

Wherever you are this spring, take a moment to stop and enjoy the view.

Letters Source:

http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/20/627.htm

http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/18/473.htm

When writing to his brother Theo about Arles and the flowers in a letter from August 8, 1888, Van Gogh wrote

“Under the blue sky the orange, yellow, red splashes of the flowers take on an amazing brilliance, and in the limpid air there is a something or other happier, more lovely than in the North.”

It is not surprising that Van Gogh captured that happiness in some of his most famous Sunflower paintings which he created during his stay in Arles.  His most commonly known Sunflower paintings are the Sunflowers and the Vase with Twelve Sunflowers, but he created several other lesser known Sunflower paintings.  His earlier paintings containing sunflowers were done in Paris from 1886-1887.  These paintings do not have the same vibrant yellows as the Arles series has, but show his early development of this subject.   View a few of them here:

Letter Source:
http://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/18/519.htm

In October of 1888, while living in The Yellow House in Arles, Van Gogh completed one of his most famous works The Bedroom.   Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles has a striking combination of colors that Van Gogh was proud of.  In a letter to his brother Theo from 1888, Van Gogh wrote:

“The walls are pale violet. The floor is of red tiles.  The wood of the bed and chairs is the yellow of fresh butter, the sheets and pillows very light greenish-citron.  The coverlet scarlet. The window green.  The toilet table orange, the basin blue.  The doors lilac.”

Today the original version of The Bedroom is at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam although it is currently undergoing restoration.  While it is being restored; however, you can follow the entire restoration process on the Van Gogh Museum’s Bedroom Secrets blog. 

There are also two other versions of The Bedroom which Van Gogh painted.  One now hangs in The Art Institute of Chicago.  This one Van Gogh created in September of 1889 as a back-up copy of the first Bedroom painting.   The third version is located in Paris at the Musee d’Orsay and was created as a smaller version Van Gogh painted for his mother and sister.

Letter Source
Letter to Theo Van Gogh, October 1888

“Now that I hope to live with Gauguin in a studio of our own, I want to make decorations for the studio. Nothing but big flowers. Next door to your shop, in the restaurant, you know there is a lovely decoration of flowers; I always remember the big sunflowers in the window there.

If I carry out this idea there will be a dozen panels. So the whole thing will be a symphony in blue and yellow. I am working at it every morning from sunrise on, for the flowers fade so soon, and the thing is to do the whole in one rush.”

Often synonymous with happiness and light, for Van Gogh Sunflowers also brought meaning of new hope for building his artist community in the Studio of the South.   The National Gallery website has an interesting section on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers which details Sunflowers as symbols of happiness and covers this period in Van Gogh’s life:
 
Van Gogh’s Sunflowers served as an inspiration for many other artists.  View other artists’ Sunflowers.

The link between these two artists is so great that exhibitions have been held around these two artists and their influences on each other.   The Art Institute of Chicago had an exhibition a number of years ago called Van Gogh and Gauguin: The Studio of the South.  On the site you will find information about the artists as well as a slide show and maps of Arles.  In addition, The Van Gogh Museum has an interactive site which provides quotes from letters and images of paintings by the artists.

Below are some of Van Gogh’s paintings from this time.

Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin, September, 1888

Paul Gauguin’s Armchair, December, 1888