Van Gogh's Irises

Vincent van Gogh, “Irises,” 1890, Metropolitan Museum.

I appreciated van Gogh’s work for a long time through prints. But I only got hooked when I saw his paintings live. Some years ago, pieces from the Musee D’Orsay came to San Francisco on tour. As I walked through the exhibition, expecting to be amazed by Monet or one of the other Impressionists, I was shocked by how riveting van Gogh’s paintings were. They leaped off the walls. “Irises” was not one of them, but I love it.