Art Wall"s "Irises in the Garden" by Vincent van Gogh 14x18 Gallery Wrapped Canvas. Irises is among the most recognized of his pieces. Inspired by the nature surrounding him, Van Gogh began his work on Irises within the first week of his stay at the asylum. Irises was most likely influenced by Japanese woodblock prints which were produced beginning in the 17th century. Like many artists of his time Van Gogh was influenced by the Japanese works. The use of black contours in Irises is a typical element of Japanese woodblock prints. It helped to reinforce the expressive power of the painting. There are no known drawings of the piece, probably because Van Gogh did not consider it a masterpiece but simply a study. Upon receiving the canvas Van Gogh’s brother, Theo, submitted it, along with The Starry Night, to the Salon des Independents in September of 1889. Irises is on the list of the most expensive paintings ever sold, selling for 54 million dollars in 1987.