Fifteen sunflowers stand in an earthenware vase, some in full bloom, some wilting, all bathed in dazzling yellow. Van Gogh painted the series in Arles to decorate a room for the arrival of his friend Gauguin. It is the most famous flower painting in the world.
Key facts
- Artist
- Vincent van Gogh1853–1890 · Dutch
- Date
- August 1888
- Period
- Post-Impressionism1886–1905
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 92.1 × 73 cm
- Location
- The National Gallery London, United Kingdom
Actual size
Compared with an adult 170 cm tall
Palette
#88731D#AF991D#F0E78A#DAD179#AB9E3EBackground
In 1888 Van Gogh rented the “Yellow House” in Arles in the south of France, dreaming of founding a “Studio of the South” where artists would work together. He invited Gauguin to join him and in August painted four sunflower pictures in quick succession to hang in the guest room.
This is the fourth of the four, the one Van Gogh was most pleased with, and he signed it. In early 1889 he made several repetitions based on it, now in Amsterdam, Philadelphia and Tokyo.
Sunflowers fade quickly, so Van Gogh had to work fast before they wilted; each picture was finished within a few days.
Technique & composition
The picture is made almost entirely of yellow: yellow flowers, yellow background, yellow table, differentiated only by tone and texture. It was a daring experiment; Van Gogh wanted to paint “yellow on yellow”. He used the newly available chrome yellow pigment for its brilliance.
Petals and seed heads are built up in thick , giving a powerful sense of relief. are dabbed in dots so that the seeds seem touchable.
A separates table from wall, the only cool colour in the picture, making the yellows sing.
Details
Symbolism
The cycle of life
The sunflowers are at different stages: some , some in full bloom, some and drooping. Together they express the cycle of life from flourishing to decay.
Friendship and hope
Sunflowers turn to follow the sun, a symbol of loyalty and warmth. Van Gogh painted them to welcome Gauguin, expressing his hopes for friendship and a shared artistic ideal. Sadly, their two months together ended with the ear incident.
Stories
- Did you know?
Chrome yellow darkens over time. Scientists have found that some of the yellows in Van Gogh's sunflower paintings are slowly turning brown, so museums strictly control the lighting.
- Did you know?
In 1987 one of the repetitions, now in Tokyo, sold at auction for about $39 million, then a world record for a work of art.
- Did you know?
Gauguin later painted Van Gogh Painting Sunflowers, a portrait of his friend at work.
Legacy
Sunflowers has become synonymous with Van Gogh and is one of the most reproduced images in art history. Its daring use of colour influenced the Fauves and the Expressionists.
