Iris is a herbaceous plant. It blooms in May. The French regard it as the national flower and consider it as a symbol of light and freedom. In May 1888, Van Gogh left his yellow house in Arles, France and moved into a sanatorium in Saint Remi. In late May, during the blooming season of iris, the blue purple flower clusters burn like flames, presenting an almost transparent texture under the bright sunshine of southern France. In his letter to his brother Theo, he described: "The blue purple color of these flowers is deeper than the strongest wine, but the stems are as translucent as jade, as if every leaf is breathing." This keen capture of natural details stems from his inner desire - to grasp the true existence of things and resist the loneliness of his inner world. Van Gogh completed his highly satisfactory work 'Iris' in the garden of the sanatorium. This painting divides the image into several areas through strong colors: a large area of blue and purple irises occupy the center of the image, green feather shaped leaves grow upright, a lonely white iris quietly blooms on the left side, and the brick red soil in the front left echoes the marigolds in the background, creating a clear and tense picture. In the picture, each iris flower has a unique posture: wavy petals, twisted stems, curled leaves, as if dancing in a gentle breeze. French art critic Octavian Milbo exclaimed, "How thoroughly Van Gogh understood the essence of flowers!" Unlike the swirling and restless brushstrokes in "Starry Night," the transition between brushwork and color blocks here appears restrained and delicate, earning the title of "Tranquility Before a Storm" by researchers. Despite the constant presence of illness, he found a moment of healing in nature, taming his inner restlessness with his brush. The large area of blue purple irises in the picture is very prominent, and their flower shapes resemble a group of dancing butterflies; Van Gogh cleverly summarized its lush pink green leaves, highlighting the vividness and spirituality of the iris along with the distant flowers and plants; The contrast of red and red soil on the ground breaks the cold tone of the picture, making the color contrast strong and harmonious, and full of rhythm. The color tone is also extremely bright, which perfectly reflects his frequent emphasis on "brighter, brighter". The entire painting is vivid and full of vitality, exuding a fresh atmosphere. Octavian Milbo once wrote in the Figaro newspaper that he saw Van Gogh's conquest of "control" in "The Iris". The once trembling lines, now like tamed horses, have found a perfect balance between order and passion. This balance is essentially Van Gogh's reconciliation with illness. In fact, Van Gogh also painted several works with irises throughout his life, which is one of his favorite floral themes besides sunflowers. There are oil paintings such as' Iris in Arles', 'Purple Iris in a Vase', 'Iris in a Turquoise Vase'... Among them, there are also sketches of irises painted in oil paintings. The most eye-catching feature in 'Iris' is the large white iris flower located on the left side of the screen. The only white flower in the picture has sparked countless speculations and discussions. Some people believe that this is Van Gogh's metaphor for his own life realization: the outstanding are always lonely; Some people also believe that Van Gogh left all his inner loneliness to this white iris flower... There are a thousand Hamlets in the eyes of a thousand people, and this statement is also appropriate for interpreting Van Gogh's works. Some art psychologists believe that white has a special significance in Van Gogh's color system: in "The Bedroom in Arles," white bed sheets symbolize cleanliness and tranquility; In 'Starry Night', the white moonlight is a metaphor for divinity; In 'Iris', white is both a symbol of purity and a symbol of alienation. The location of this flower is intriguing: it maintains a subtle distance from the blue purple flower cluster, neither completely isolated nor truly integrated. This' marginal state 'is precisely a portrayal of Van Gogh's survival in the sanatorium - he longed to be understood, but also feared being assimilated; He belongs to the patient group, but always identifies himself as an artist. The blue purple melancholy and white aloofness interweave in the picture, just as Van Gogh wrote in his diary, 'I feel lonely in the crowd, but find myself in front of the canvas'. The white iris flower is recognized by art historians as Van Gogh's self projection, and its "droopy yet stubborn" posture matches his description in the letter of "struggling between madness and sobriety". The edges of the white iris petals slightly curl upwards, presenting an upward tension as if resisting the pull of gravity. Van Gogh mixed titanium white and zinc white to create a pearl like luster, allowing this flower to still shine brightly in the shadows. This obsession with details stems from his love for life - even in the depths of his spirit, he can still discover that 'irises in weeds are more dignified than roses in a greenhouse'. In September 1889, Theo submitted "Iris" to the Salon of the French Association of Independent Artists. In his letter to his brother, Theo wrote, "Now, I still want to tell you that the salon exhibition has opened, and your two works are there, 'Iris' and' Starry Night on the Rhone River '. Famous painters such as Shura and Rotleck are also on display. This exhibition is not only an important milestone in Van Gogh's artistic career, but also marks the gradual acceptance of Post Impressionist painting by the mainstream art world. In 1892, Van Gogh's friend Don (for whom Van Gogh had painted a painting called 'Father Tangier') sold the painting to Octave Milbo for 300 francs. Octave was one of the earliest appreciators of Van Gogh's works. This painting, like many other paintings by Van Gogh, was bought and sold multiple times after his death. In the long history of art, Van Gogh's sunflowers seem to have become a monument like presence. In January 1987, his "Fifteen Sunflowers" sold for £ 22.5 million at Christie's in London. This auction set a world record for the price of an artist's artwork, and with a huge news effect, almost everyone became aware of Van Gogh's Sunflower series. Van Gogh was poor and destitute before his death, and only sold one painting. However, in 1988, "Iris" sold for a sky high price of $53.9 million at Sotheby's in New York, becoming one of the most expensive artworks in the world at that time, and Van Gogh became even more legendary due to his sky high priced works. Nowadays, 'Iris' is housed in the Paul Getty Museum in the United States. Every year, hundreds of thousands of viewers stop to admire it, some amazed by its colors, some moved by its stories... Van Gogh's life can be described as a life intertwined with pain and creativity. But during his 12 months in Saint-R é my, he created over 150 oil paintings, among which "Iris," "Starry Night," and "Olive Tree" became classic works in art history. These works prove that even in the cage of the spirit, art can still shine with the light of freedom. (New Society)