Great Peacock Moth

Vincent van Gogh

Contemporary-Art.org
Keywords: GreatPeacockMoth

Work Overview

Great Peacock Moth
Vincent van Gogh
Date: 1889; Saint-rémy-de-provence, France *
Style: Post-Impressionism
Genre: animal painting
Media: oil, canvas
Location: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands


In May 1889 Van Gogh began work on Green Peacock Moth which he self-titled Death's Head Moth. The moth, called death's head, is a rarely seen nocturnal moth. He described the large moth's colors "of amazing distinction, black, grey, cloudy white tinged with carmine or vaguely shading off into olive green."[43] Behind the moth is a background of Lords-and-Ladies. The size of the moth and plants in the background pull the spectator into the work. The colors are vivid, consistent with Van Gogh's passion and emotional intensity.[44] Van Gogh Museum's title for this work is Emperor Moth.