The origins of the Iris flower date back to ancient Greece where drawings of these flowers are still visible. Among the paintings at the Knossos palace in Crete, there is a 4,000-year-old fresco of the iris flower. The Greek goddess, Iris, was the messenger of the gods and the personification of the rainbow. Acting as a link between heaven and earth, irises were planted over the graves of women to summon the Goddess to guide their journey. Egyptian kings marveled at the iris’s exotic beauty by showcasing drawings in several Egyptian palaces. During the Middle Ages, the significance of the iris flower became linked to the French monarchy, and the Fleur-de-lis eventually became the recognized national emblem of France. “Irises” is one of several iris paintings created by the Dutch artist, Vincent van Gogh. In his last year of life before his death in 1890, he painted them during his self-admitted stay at Saint Paul-de-Mausole asylum in France. During much of his stay there he was confined to the grounds of the asylum; from the window in his room, he could see the flower garden and wheat fields. “The Iris Flower,” is a hand-painted digital image and photo composite created in Spadecaller’s Florida Studio on 1/27/2022.