1890-02 · Saint-Rémy-de-Provence · Knot of Intention

Almond Blossom: moment and letters

It was a gift for a child, and one of the works he later described most carefully in his own hand.

  1. Vincent van Gogh, Almond Blossom, 1890, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
    F671 Almond Blossom 1890
before

In January 1890 Theo wrote: a son had been born, and he wanted to name him Vincent Willem.

now

He began a large sky-blue canvas, with branches covered in blossom standing out against it, for his newborn nephew. It was a gift for Vincent Willem; almond blossom, among the first trees to flower, also announced the coming spring.

after

In March he called the last canvas of branches in blossom perhaps his most patiently worked and best work, painted with calm and greater sureness of touch. The next day, he wrote, he was struck down by another attack.

Events

  1. Synaesthetic Precision · Letter 853

    Theo's son Vincent Willem was born. Theo chose to name the child after his brother

  2. The Translator · Letter 855

    Vincent immediately began a painting for his nephew: 'For Theo's son, to hang in their bedroom — large branches of white almond blossom against a blue sky.'

  3. The Copyist · Letter 854

    The composition comes directly from ukiyo-e — flat background, clear outline, branches cropped at the canvas edge. The purest case of Japanese visual grammar in his work

  4. The Colour Experimenter · Letter 854

    'It is perhaps the most patiently worked thing I have done, painted with calm and a greater sureness of touch.' Rare for the colour experimenter to describe his work as 'calm'

  5. Synaesthetic Precision · Letter 857

    An attack came immediately after completion — he was ill for months after Almond Blossom. The painting was the last steady breath before the collapse

  6. The Translator

    Theo hung Almond Blossom in the living room of the Paris flat. Jo wrote in a letter: 'The child always looks up at those flowers.'

From the Letters

J'ai tout de suite commencé une toile pour le fils de Theo, à mettre dans leur chambre à coucher, de grandes branches d'amandier blanc en fleur sur fond de ciel bleu.

I immediately started a canvas for Theo's son, to hang in their bedroom, large branches of white almond blossom against a blue sky.

Letter 855
C'est peut-être ce que j'ai fait de plus patiemment, de mieux, peint avec calme et une sûreté de touche plus grande.

It is perhaps the most patiently worked thing I have done, painted with calm and a greater sureness of touch.

Letter 854

Letter Sources

Van Gogh letter records referenced on this page, linked to the Van Gogh Letters Project. vangoghletters.org