Sunflowers
In its own language: Tournesols
A celebrated series of still life paintings by Vincent van Gogh
Sunflowers is the name of two sets of oil paintings by Vincent van Gogh, made in Paris in 1887 and Arles in 1888. They show sunflower blooms at different stages, from full flower to fading, and were part of his plan to decorate a shared studio with Paul Gauguin.
- Painted in Paris (1887) and Arles (1888) as two linked series
- Created to decorate van Gogh's Yellow House for Paul Gauguin
- One version sold for nearly $40 million in 1987, a record then
- Targeted by Just Stop Oil activists in London in 2022 and 2024
- Displayed as a triptych with Berceuse in London in 2024
What is Sunflowers?
These are oil-on-canvas still lifes showing sunflowers cut and arranged or scattered. The Paris group shows blooms on the floor; the Arles group places them upright in a vase. Van Gogh used bold yellows across the spectrum, made possible by new pigments of his time.
Where does Sunflowers come from?
Van Gogh painted the first group in Paris in 1887. He created the second set in Arles in 1888 as part of a planned decorative scheme for the guest room of his Yellow House, meant for his friend Paul Gauguin. The works were linked in his mind by their shared subject and purpose.
How Sunflowers is made
He worked quickly in late summer 1888, aiming to produce several large canvases filled only with sunflowers. Later, in early 1889, he made repetitions of some compositions. One version now in Amsterdam was extended at the top, likely by his own hand; another in Tokyo was enlarged later by its owner.
When and where Sunflowers is used
Originally intended to welcome Gauguin, the paintings became symbols of artistic friendship. One fetched a record price at auction in 1987 and resides in Tokyo. Others hang in major museums. In 2022 and 2024, versions in London were targeted by climate activists but remained undamaged behind protective glazing.
Forms of Sunflowers
There are multiple versions from both Paris and Arles. The Arles group includes originals and later repetitions. Debate has arisen over whether one Tokyo painting is by van Gogh or by Émile Schuffenecker, though most experts accept it as genuine.
What Sunflowers means
Gauguin admired these works greatly, once calling the sunflower 'the flower' in van Gogh’s hands. The series later entered popular culture as icons of post-impressionism. They formed part of a planned triptych with the Berceuse portrait and were displayed together in London in 2024 as van Gogh had envisioned.
Questions people ask about Sunflowers
What are the Sunflowers paintings?
They are two series of still life oil paintings by Vincent van Gogh, made in Paris in 1887 and Arles in 1888, showing sunflowers in vases or on the ground.
Why did van Gogh paint them?
He wanted to decorate his Yellow House in Arles, especially the guest room for his friend Paul Gauguin, using large sunflower canvases as part of a unified interior scheme.
Where can you see them today?
Versions are held in London, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Philadelphia, Munich, and Bern, among other cities, in major museums or private collections.
Were they always famous?
They gained fame after van Gogh’s death. One sold for a world record price in 1987 and helped cement their status as iconic works of modern art.
Are all versions definitely by van Gogh?
Most are accepted as genuine, though the Tokyo repetition has been questioned, with some suggesting Émile Schuffenecker may have painted it. Most experts still attribute it to van Gogh.
Good reading and sources
- Sunflowers (Van Gogh series) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Sunflowers (Van Gogh series)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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