Van Gogh's Paris Flower Still Lifes: Economic Necessity and Color Theory

During the summer of 1886, while residing in Paris with his brother Theo, who was employed at Boussod, Valadon & Cie, Vincent van Gogh created 35 still life paintings featuring flowers in vases. Van Gogh had relocated to Paris in February 1886 to study under his contemporaries and briefly attended Fernand Cormon's studio. His artistic direction was shaped by Impressionists such as Claude Monet and Edgar Degas, along with friendships with Paul Gauguin and others, prompting him to concentrate on floral subjects due to financial limitations. These pieces served as color experiments inspired by Charles Blanc's 1884 publication. Despite the popularity of flower still lifes, he did not sell any during his lifetime, but this endeavor eventually led to iconic works like 'Sunflowers' (1888-1889).