The Painting by Van Gogh “Sunflowers”


Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) – an outstanding Dutch post-impressionist artist.

Sunflowers had a special meaning for the master. He wrote two series of paintings with them: the Parisian (1887, two paintings with reclining flowers) and the Arles (1888, four works with flowers in the decanter). Then the painter made several versions of these works. All of them still cause discussion in the circles of art critics and have become a kind of “brand”. “Sunflowers” by Van Gogh have the same significance in his work, as “La Gioconda” for Leonardo, “Sistine Madonna” for Raphael, “Black Square” for Malevich. These paintings in a sense are “synonyms” for artists.

The Arles cycle, which includes the London painting, was intended to decorate the room of the friend of the painter, Paul Gauguin, in the so-called Yellow House in Arles, in the south of France, which Van Gogh rented. Both artists worked there together in October-December 1888.

In the work on the cycles, Van Gogh applied a special technique of writing – impasto. Its essence lies in the fact that the paints are applied very densely and not only the traditional brushes but also the knife are used. This created a special rough surface, a relief pattern.

“Sunflowers” more than once copied (forged), often excelling in technical terms, but never – in the “personal”.


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The Painting by Van Gogh “Sunflowers”