Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890): Oleanders, 1888 (Oil on canvas) - For Van Gogh, oleanders were joyous, life-affirming flowers that bloomed “inexhaustibly” and were always “putting out strong new shoots.” In this painting of August 1888 the flowers fill a majolica jug that the artist used for other still lifes made in Arles… They are symbolically juxtaposed with Émile Zola’s La joie de vivre…