Sprig of Flowering Almond in a Glass by Van Gogh Flyer

Sprig of Flowering Almond in a Glass by Vincent Van Gogh, oil on canvas 1888, is a small still life painting of a transparent glass of water holding a small branch with white almond flowers on a tablecloth of contrasting yellow and mauve strokes of oil colours, against a background of a grey wall with horizontal red stripe. Influenced by the flatness and outlines of Japanese art and prints, which the artist collected avidly, Van Gogh expressively captures the inner life of the flowering twig as well as the light, colour and atmosphere of the room in which they blossom. In the upper left of the composition the painter adds his humble, trademark artist signature, his first name, Vincent. Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890) was a Dutch painter of the Post-Impressionist movement known for bold, expressive drawing, swirling brushstrokes and intense, heightened colours. In early adulthood Van Gogh worked as an art dealer, teacher and pastor before taking up the full time study of drawing and painting in his late twenties. Influenced by Rembrandt, the 19th century Realists and Barbizon school, Van Gogh's early paintings featured studies of workers and peasants in sombre earth tones. Moving to France in 1886, Van Gogh met with the startling innovations of the Impressionist painters and began to apply their approach to colour and subject matter, which continued into the mature style for which the artist is most renowned. Van Gogh produced many hundreds of drawings and paintings including portraits, landscapes, still life and flower paintings, and numerous self-portraits that became a dominating influence on the modern art of the 20th century and made him one of the most popular artists of all time.