Almond Blossom, 1890
Blossoming branches set against a blue sky were one of Vincent’s favorite subjects that he returned to many times. Because almond trees flower in early spring, their bright buds and blossoms held the promise of hope and new life for him. Against a field of turquoise, the branches fill the entire picture plane. Like many of his images, Almond Blossom is clearly inspired by Japanese art, but is unlike any other painting Van Gogh created.
Made in February of 1890, it was a gift for the artist’s new-born nephew and namesake, Vincent Wilhem, the son of his bother Théo and wife Johanna Bonger. Back in Paris, the parents hung Almond Blossom above their infant’s bed. In a letter to her brother-in-law, Jo tells him that the painting enthralled the young Vincent. In hindsight, we know that the Van Gogh family’s domestic tranquility would soon be shattered by the painter’s death in July, followed by Théo’s unexpected death only six months later. It’s lovely to believe, however, that, for a short while before these tragic events, the artist’s almond branches, with their restless forms and brilliant bursts of white petals, served almost like a mobile, a floating world for the baby to gaze upon during his first months.