Roses
Painting on canvas • Vincent van Gogh
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; impasto technique with heavy, rhythmic brushstrokes characteristic of the artist's late style
Creation Period
May 1890
Dimensions & Format
71 cm × 90 cm (28 in × 35.4 in); landscape orientation
Subject Description
A lush arrangement of white roses in a rounded vase against a light green background. The composition is overflowing and organic, symbolizing the 'rebirth' the artist felt toward the end of his stay at the asylum in Saint-Rémy. The flowers were originally painted with pink lake pigments that have since faded to white.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good; preserved in a museum environment, though significant color shifting (fading of pinks to white) has occurred due to light sensitivity of original pigments.
Estimated Market Value
$100,000,000 - $150,000,000+ (Estimated based on rarity and historical importance)
Auction Estimate
$80,000,000 - $120,000,000
Provenance History
Gift of Mary Stillman Harkness to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1951; previously in various private collections including those in Paris and New York.
Art Historical Significance
One of a series of large still lifes painted by Van Gogh just before leaving Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It represents his mastery of color theory and his attempt to find optimism through nature despite his mental health struggles.
Notable Features
Distinctive swirling background brushwork and the use of dark green outlines to define the soft forms of the flowers.
Condition Issues
Fading of organic red lake pigments (eosin) resulting in the loss of the original pink hue in the petals; minor craquelure consistent with age.
Conservation Recommendations
Strict UV light control to prevent further pigment degradation; climate-controlled museum housing (20°C, 50% RH).