Mention Van Gogh and sunflowers and you probably vidualise one of his still lifes of sunflowers in a vase (there were seven: five are in museums, one with a private collection, one lost in the Second World War). But there are other less-well-known, earlier paintings of his involving sunflowers:
“Allotment with Sunflower“, Vincent van Gogh, Paris, July 1887, oil on canvas, 43.2 cm x 36.2 cm, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)Shed with Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh, Paris, August-September 1887, pencil, pen and ink, watercolour, on paper, 31.6 cm x 24.1 cm, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)“Sunflowers Gone to Seed“, Vincent van Gogh, Paris, August-September 1887, oil on cotton, 21.2 cm x 27.1 cm, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh, 1887, oil on canvas, (43.2 x 61 cm, Metropolitan Museum Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh,1889, oil on canvas, 95 cm x 73 cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation) Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh, 1890, pencil on paper, 13.4 cm x 8.5 cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation) Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh,1890, pencil on paper, 13.4 cm x 8.5 cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation) “Vincent van Gogh Painting Sunflowers” by Paul Gauguin, 1888, oil on canvas, 73 cm x 91 cm, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
The colours in Van Gogh’s famous still lifes have changed over time, “mainly caused by a certain type of red paint (geranium lake) fading and a certain type of yellow paint (chrome yellow) darkening” (source: Conservation treatment ‘Sunflowers‘, Van Gogh Museum). If you don’t see the video below, click here.
Wow what a difference that color makes, thank you.
Looks so different doesn’t it!
Absolutely amazing! Thank you, Marion