The iris flower was associated with the Greek goddess Iris — the messenger of the gods who appeared as a rainbow. The fleur-de-lis (stylised iris) became the heraldic symbol of French royalty. Van Gogh painted his famous Irises in the asylum at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, where he had voluntarily committed himself — the painting was made one year before his death.

Complex, spiritual, and slightly enigmatic. Iris sits between blue and purple — it has the depth of indigo with the warmth of violet. Associated with messages (from the goddess Iris), transitions, and the communication between different realms of experience. Van Gogh's irises carry both intense observation and meditative calm — painted as therapy in the asylum.

Van Gogh's Irises (1889) was sold in 1987 for $53.9 million — then the highest price ever paid for a painting at auction, making international headlines. The sale to Alan Bond (who subsequently went bankrupt) raised questions about art market speculation. The painting is now at the Getty Museum, Los Angeles. The fleur-de-lis, derived from the iris, appears on the Quebec provincial flag, the Boy Scout emblem, and countless heraldic devices.