Almond Blossom
Currently on view
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, February 1890
oil on canvas, 73.3 cm x 92.4 cm
Credits (obliged to state): Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
Large blossom branches like this against a blue sky were one of Van Gogh’s favourite subjects. Almond trees flower early in the spring making them a symbol of new life. Van Gogh borrowed the subject, the bold outlines and the positioning of the tree in the picture plane from Japanese printmaking.
The painting was a gift for his brother Theo and sister-in-law Jo, who had just had a baby son, Vincent Willem. In the letter announcing the new arrival, Theo wrote: ‘As we told you, we’ll name him after you, and I’m making the wish that he may be as determined and as courageous as you.’ Unsurprisingly, it was this work that remained closest to the hearts of the Van Gogh family. Vincent Willem went on to found the Van Gogh Museum.
- F-number
- F0671
- JH-number
- JH1891
- Object number
- s0176V1962
- Dimensions
- 73.3 cm x 92.4 cm, 94.0 cm x 112.9 cm
- Provenance
- Sent by the artist from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence to his brother Theo van Gogh, Paris, at the end of April 1890; after his death on 25 January 1891, inherited by his widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, and their son, Vincent Willem van Gogh, Paris; administered until her death on 2 September 1925 by Jo van Gogh-Bonger, Bussum/Amsterdam/Laren; transferred by Vincent Willem van Gogh, Laren, on 10 July 1962 to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, Amsterdam; agreement concluded between the Vincent van Gogh Foundation and the State of the Netherlands, in which the preservation and management of the collection, and its placing in the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, to be realized in Amsterdam, is entrusted to the State, 21 July 1962; given on loan until the opening of the museum on 2 June 1973 to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; on permanent loan to the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh from 2 June 1973 and at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, since 1 July 1994.
- artist
- Vincent van Gogh
- Credits (obliged to state)
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Kiezen voor Vincent. Portret van een familiegeschiedenis, 10 February-10 April 2023
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Gogh & Japan, 24 March-24 June 2018
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Gogh aan het werk, 1 May 2013-13 January 2014
Amsterdam, Hermitage Amsterdam, Vincent. Het Van Gogh Museum in de Hermitage Amsterdam, 29 September 2012-25 April 2013
Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, Van Gogh: Up Close, 25 May-3 September 2012
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Van Gogh: Up Close, 26 January-6 May 2012
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Bloesem, 21 March-21 June 2011, no. zonder nr.
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Van Goghs brieven. De kunstenaar aan het woord, 9 October 2009-3 January 2010
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Pronkstukken uit keizerlijk Japan. Meiji-kunst uit de Khalili collectie, 7 July-22 October 2006
Paris, Musée d'Orsay, Theo van Gogh 1857-1891. Marchand de tableaux, collectionneur, frère de Vincent, 27 September 1999-9 January 2000
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Theo van Gogh 1857-1891. Kunsthandelaar, verzamelaar en broer van Vincent, 24 June-5 September 1999, no. zonder nr.
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Van Gogh's Van Goghs. Masterpieces from the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 17 January-16 May 1999, no. 66
Washington, National Gallery of Art, Van Gogh's Van Goghs. Masterpieces from the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 4 October 1998-3 January 1999, no. 66
Tokyo, Seiji Togo Memorial Yasuda Kasai Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh and his time. Four seasons from the Van Gogh Museum and the H.W. Mesdag Museum, 12 September-11 November 1997, no. 11
Tokyo, Setagaya Art Museum, Vincent van Gogh and Japan, 4 April-24 May 1992
Kyoto, National Museum of Modern Art (Kyoto), Vincent van Gogh and Japan, 18 February-29 March 1992
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Japan : Van Gogh's Utopia, 7 June-22 September 1991
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, 30 March-29 July 1990, no. 114
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Van Gogh in St. Rémy and Auvers, 12 November 1986-22 March 1987, no. 49
Bern, Kunstmuseum Bern, Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 25 January-15 April 1973, no. 40
Strasbourg, Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain Strasbourg, Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 22 October 1972-15 January 1973
Paris, Orangerie des Tuileries, Vincent van Gogh. Collection du Musée National Vincent van Gogh à Amsterdam, 21 December 1971-10 April 1972, no. 99
New York, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 14 February-4 April 1971, no. 60
San Francisco, M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 11 December 1970-31 January 1971, no. 60
Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 11 October-29 November 1970, no. 60
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 28 February-5 April 1970
Saint Louis, City Art Museum of Saint Louis, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 20 December 1969-1 February 1970
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 14 October-1 December 1969
London, Hayward Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings of the Vincent van Gogh Foundation Amsterdam, 23 October 1968-12 January 1969, no. 178
Wolfsburg, Stadthalle Wolfsburg, Vincent van Gogh. Gemälde, Aquarelle, Zeichnungen, 18 February-2 April 1967, no. 65
Gothenburg, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Vincent van Gogh. Målningar, akvareller, teckningar, 30 December 1965-20 February 1966, no. 51
Stockholm, Moderna Museet, Vincent van Gogh. Målningar, akvareller, teckningar, 23 October-19 December 1965, no. 51
Ghent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten (Gent), Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, aquarellen, tekeningen, 19 February-28 March 1965, no. 32
Charleroi, Palais des Beaux-Arts (Charleroi), Vincent van Gogh. Schilderijen, aquarellen, tekeningen, 9 January-9 February 1965, no. 32
New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 2 April-28 June 1964, no. 45
Washington, Washington Gallery of Modern Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 2 February-19 March 1964, no. 45
Humlebaek, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Vincent van Gogh. Malerier og tegninger, 24 October-15 December 1963, no. 45
Kansas City, William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 7 February-26 March 1963
Detroit, Detroit Institute of Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 11 December 1962-29 January 1963
Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Carnegie Institute, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 18 October-4 November 1962
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 22 March-29 April 1962, no. 60
Buffalo (New York), Albright Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 30 January-11 March 1962, no. 60
Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 5 December 1961-14 January 1962, no. 60
Baltimore, Baltimore Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, 18 October-26 November 1961, no. 60
Toronto, The Art Gallery of Toronto, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 10 February-12 March 1961, no. 70
Winnipeg, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 29 December 1960-31 January 1961, no. 70
Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 17 November-18 December 1960, no. 70
Montréal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings-Drawings / Tableaux-Dessins, 6 October-6 November 1960, no. 70
Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 7 March-19 April 1959, no. 64
Portland (Oregon), Portland Art Museum (Oregon), Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 28 January-1 March 1959, no. 64
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 10 December 1958-18 January 1959, no. 64
San Francisco, M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, Vincent van Gogh. Paintings and Drawings, 6 October-30 November 1958, no. 64
Antwerp, Zaal Comité voor Artistieke Werking, Vincent van Gogh, 7 May-19 June 1955, no. 309
Toledo (Ohio), Toledo Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 7 March-30 April 1954, no. 143
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 2 January-28 February 1954, no. 143
Saint Louis, City Art Museum of Saint Louis, Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890, 17 October-13 December 1953, no. 143
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Eeuwfeest Vincent van Gogh, 23 July-20 September 1953, no. 168
Otterlo, Kröller-Müller Museum, Eeuwfeest Vincent van Gogh, 24 May-19 July 1953, no. 168
The Hague, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Vincent van Gogh, 30 March-17 May 1953, no. 168
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh, 14 September-1 December 1945, no. zonder nr.
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Vincent van Gogh en zijn tijdgenooten, 6 September-2 November 1930, no. 93
Amsterdam, Genootschap van kunstenaren Moderne Kunstkring, Vincent van Gogh. Werken van genooten, 27 September-30 November 1915, no. 15
Cologne, Kölner Kunstverein, V. van Gogh, July-August 1914
Berlin, Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer, Vincent van Gogh 30. März 1853 - 29. Juli 1890. Zehnte Ausstellung, 1 June-5 July 1914, no. 125
Antwerp, Zaal Comité voor Artistieke Werking, L'art contemporain. Salon 1914 / Kunst van Heden. Tentoonstelling 1914, 7 March-5 April 1914
The Hague, Gebouw Lange Voorhout 1, Werken van Vincent van Gogh, 4 July-1 September 1913
Rotterdam, Rotterdamsche Kunstkring, Vincent van Gogh. Werken uit fransche tijd, 11 June-10 July 1910
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Tentoonstelling Vincent van Gogh, 15 July-1 September 1905, no. 99
Leiden, Museum De Lakenhal, Schilderijen van Van Gogh, 2-12 March 1900, no. 4
The Hague, Haagsche Kunstkring [Buitenhof], Werken van Vincent van Gogh, 16 May-6 June 1892, no. 45
Luijten, Hans, Alles voor Vincent : het leven van Jo van Gogh-Bonger, 2019, p. 138, 180, 206, 350, 549
Peres, C., Amandelbloesem : restauratie, p. 13
Crimpen, Han van, Jansen, Leo, Robert, J., Brief happiness : the correspondence of Theo van Gogh and Jo Bonger, 1999, p. 48
Bremen-Ito, K. van, Gulik, W.R. van, Kodera, Tsukasa, Rappard-Boon, C. van, Catalogue of the Van Gogh Museum's collection of Japanese prints, 1991, p. 43
Hulsker, Jan, The complete works of Vincent van Gogh, 1978, vol. 2, pl. 235
Arison, L., Folberg, N., Discovering the connections : travels with Van Gogh and the Impressionists, 2007, p. 46-47
Tilborgh, Louis van, Wessels, Anton, Het evangelie volgens Vincent van Gogh, 2009, p. 116-117, 143
Cavin, A., Daussy, H., Kelder, D., Le grand livre de l'impressionisme Français, cop. 1981, p. 365
Ash, R., Impressionists' seasons, 1999, p. 15
Johnson, Don H., Hendriks, Ella, Johnson jr., C. Richard, Interpreting canvas weave matches, p. 53-61
Helvey, J., Irises : Vincent van Gogh in the garden, 2009, p. 115, 117
Bremen-Ito, K. van, Gulik, W.R. van, Kodera, Tsukasa, Rappard-Boon, C. van, Japanese prints : catalogue of the Van Gogh Museum's collection, 2006, p. 41, 43
Uhlenbeck, Chris, Tilborgh, Louis van, Oikawa, Shigeru, Japanese prints : The collection of Vincent van Gogh, 2018, p. 30-31
Uhlenbeck, Chris, Tilborgh, Louis van, Oikawa, Shigeru, Japanse prenten : De collectie van Vincent van Gogh, 2018, p. 30-31
Lambourne, L., Japonisme : cultural crossings between Japan and the West, 2005, p. 4
Tunnicliffe, Wayne, John Russell : Australia's French Impressionist, 2018, p. 117
Het korte geluk van Theo en Jo van Gogh, p. 8
Echte, B., Feilchenfeldt, Walter, Jr., Cordioli, P., Kunstsalon Paul Cassirer : die Ausstellungen 1912 - 1914, 2016, p. 763, 774
Eiling, Alexander, Krämer, Felix, Schroll, Elena, Making Van Gogh : a German love story, 2019, p. 334-335
Darley, Esther, Suijver, Renske, Masterpieces in the Van Gogh Museum, 2019, p. 140-141
Darley, Esther, Suijver, Renske, Meesterwerken in het Van Gogh Museum, 2019, p. 140-141
Coutagne, Denis, Le midi de Van Gogh, [s.a.], p. 53
Reynaerts, Jenny, Mirror of reality : 19th-century painting in the Netherlands, 2019, p. 310-311
Hulsker, Jan, The new complete Van Gogh : paintings, drawings, sketches, 1996, p. 434, 440
Jouanin, F., Provence : mini culinaria, 2000, p.11
Ameisen, J. C., Brohard, Y., Quand l'art rencontre la science, 2007, p. 26-27
Clergue, Yolande, Le regard de Vincent van Gogh sur les estampes japonaises du XIXe siècle, 1999, p. 121
Uitert, Evert van, Hoyle, Michael, Crimpen, Han van, The Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, 1987, p. 270-271, 347
Thomas-Maurin, Frédérique, Marion, Jean-Luc, Coutagne, Denis, Sensations de nature : de Courbet à Hartung, 2015, p. 52
Reynaerts, Jenny, Spiegel van de werkelijkheid : 19de-eeuwse schilderkunst in Nederland, 2019, p. 310-311
Bailey, Martin, Starry night : Van Gogh at the asylum, 2018, p. 161-165, 190
Coyle, Laura, The Still-life paintings of Vincent van Gogh and their context, 2007, p. 474, 573
Tilborgh, Louis van, Bakker, Nienke, Homburg, Cornelia, Kodera, Tsukasa, Uhlenbeck, Chris, Guitton, Claire, Van Gogh & Japan, 2017, p. 86, 128, 132, 192
Heslewood, Juliet, Van Gogh : a life in places, 2019, p. 153
Stein, Susan Alyson, Van Gogh : a retrospective, 1986, p. 301
Homburg, Cornelia, Kienle, Anabelle, Rishel, Joseph .J., Thompson, J.A., Balaram, R., Paulson, N.C., Pohlmann, Ulrich, Van Gogh : de près, 2012, p. ii, 25-26, 32, 135, 268
Mori, G., Van Gogh : il Giappone come utopia, p. 33
Westheider, Ortrud, Philipp, Michael, Heugten, Sjraar van, Hortolani, Valerie, Koldehoff, Stefan, Rathbone, Eliza E., Tostmann, Oliver, Vellekoop, Marije, Zimmermann, Michael F., Van Gogh : still lifes, 2019, p. 94, 201
Mullins, Edwin, Van Gogh : the asylum year, 2015, p. 151, 153
Homburg, Cornelia, Kienle, Anabelle, Rishel, Joseph .J., Thompson, J.A., Balaram, R., Paulson, N.C., Pohlmann, Ulrich, Van Gogh : up close, 2012, p. ii, 25-26, 32, 135, 268
Veldhorst, Natascha, Van Gogh and music : a symphony in blue and yellow, 2018, p. 28-29
Kendall, Richard, Heugten, Sjraar van, Stolwijk, Chris, Van Gogh and nature, 2015, p. 202, 204, 215
Heugten, Sjraar van, Greer, Joan Eileen, Gott, Ted, Van Gogh and the Seasons, 2017, p. 54
Pickvance, Ronald, Van Gogh in Saint-Rémy and Auvers, 1986, p. 180
Leeuw, Ronald de, Van Gogh Museum : schilderijen en pastels, 1993, p. 224-225
Thomson, Belinda, Van Gogh paintings : the masterpieces, 2018, p. 151, 173, 189
Weisberg, Gabriel P., Veen, Wouter van der, Heugten, Sjraar van, Van Gogh rêves de Japon, 2012, p. 55
Thomson, Belinda, Van Gogh schilder : de meesterwerken, 2016, p. 151, 173, 190
Roskill, Mark W., Van Gogh, Gauguin and French painting of the 1880s : a catalogue raisonné of key works, 1970, p. 103
Heugten, Sjraar van, Berger, Helewise, Prins, Laura, Van Goghs intimi : vrienden, familie, modellen, 2019, p. 185
Jansen, Leo, Suijver, Renske, Blokland, Ann, Vincent, 2012, p. 113-117
Delrue, Mark, Vincent : kunstschilder, briefschrijver, godzoeker, 2015, p. 59-62
Feilchenfeldt, Walter, Jr., Vincent van Gogh : Die Gemälde 1886-1890 : Händler, Sammler, Ausstellungen : Die Frühen Provenienzen, 2009, p. 183
Feilchenfeldt, Walter, Jr., Vincent van Gogh : die Gemälde 1886-1890 : Händler, Sammler, Ausstellungen : die Frühen Provenienzen, 2009, p. 183
Sirigatti, Cristina, Vincent van Gogh : het complete geschilderde werk, 2018, p. 150-151
Bomford, David, Bakker, Nienke, Suijver, Renske, Cohen Tervaert, Renske, Aurisch, Helga K., Minton, Laura, Woodall, Dena M., Vincent van Gogh : his life in art, 2019, p. 33, 163
Feilchenfeldt, Walter, Jr., Vincent van Gogh : the years in France : complete paintings 1886-1890 : dealers, collectors, exhibitions, provenance, 2013, p. 185
Leighton, John, Vincent van Gogh and his time. Four seasons from the Van Gogh Museum and the H.W. Mesdag Museum, 1997, p. 62-63
Kodera, Tsukasa, Leeuw, Ronald de, Vincent van Gogh and Japan, 1992, p. 108-109
Faille, Jacob Baart de la, Gelder, Jan Gerrit van, Hammacher, A.M., The works of Vincent van Gogh : his paintings and drawings, 1970, p. 264, 638
Voskuil, Piet, Het ziektebeeld van Vincent van Gogh : was het epilepsie - wat is epilepsie?, p. 83-84
Kahng, Eik, Cronan, Todd, Misteli, David, Rainof, Rebecca, Skokowski, Rachel, Heugten, Sjraar van, Young, Marnin, Through Vincent's eyes : Van Gogh and his sources, 2021, p. 84-85
Naifeh, Steven, Van Gogh and the artists he loved, 2021, p. 164-165, 173
Heteren, Marjan van, Stolwijk, Chris, Hopmans, Anita, Rikhof, Maaike, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Le Fauconnier & De Bergense School, 2023, pp. 144,147
