Creation and Location

This painting was created in June 1890, during Van Gogh's stay in Auvers-sur-Oise, where he was living under the care of Dr. Paul-Ferdinand Gachet.

Style and Technique

The painting is characterized by its loose and rapid brushstrokes, a style that Van Gogh increasingly adopted during his time in Auvers. The flowers are only just recognizable and are surrounded by rough blue outlines. The palette features distinctive blues and ochers, along with graphic, brick-shape hatchings, which link it to the landscapes he painted just before his death.

Provenance

The painting has an interesting provenance. After Van Gogh's death, it was inherited by his brother Theo's widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, and their son, Vincent Willem van Gogh. It was later transferred to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation in 1962 and is now part of the collection at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Exhibition History

The painting has been exhibited in several notable locations, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Hayward Gallery in London, and the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, among others.

Significance

This still life is peculiar because it is not mentioned in Van Gogh’s letters, which has puzzled scholars regarding its place in his artistic production. However, it shows a connection to his other works, such as the mixed bouquets of summer flowers he painted in Paris and the floral motifs in other paintings like the 'Berceuse of Arles' and 'Irises of Saint-Rémy.'

Current Location

The Bouquet Of Flowers In A Vase is currently part of the Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having been gifted by Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg in 1993 and bequeathed by Walter H. Annenberg in 2002.