Some works of art are so lauded that their image has transcended time, cultures and geography to be familiar to the majority of the global population. These works are considered iconic, and should be recognisable to all.
As part of a series of posts, we are going to explore some of the most famous art works in history and learn a little more about them and the artist. This series starts with Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh.
Artwork: Sunflowers
Artist: Vincent Van Gogh
Artistic Movement: Post-impressionism
Time Period: 1882-1890
Other famous works include…The Starry Night, Bedroom in Arles and The Potato Eaters.
Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most recognisable paintings in the world, one that is often first introduced to everybody in their early years education. The image best known to us all, a collection of sunflowers in a ceramic vase set against a yellow backdrop, was painted by Van Gogh in 1888 and is actually part of a two-part series.
Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most recognisable paintings in the world
The first series, titled ‘The Paris Sunflowers’ is a collection of paintings showing the wilted sunflowers lying on the ground in various lighting arrangements, the second series, titled ‘The Arles Sunflowers’, is a collection of sunflowers bundled together in different vases against different backdrops. The Sunflowers painting best known to us all was part of this second series. Van Gogh painted at least seven versions of the painting we know today, all in the naive post-impressionist style synonymous with Van Gogh.
Van Gogh was Dutch and born into a relatively privileged family. He only began painting professional in his early 30s, moving to France where Post-Impressionism was at its height. Van Gogh was friends with fellow Post-Impressionist, the French Paul Gauguin, however Van Gogh was not commercially successful during his lifetime and after suffering with psychotic episodes and extended depression, he committed suicide at the age of 37. Beside his work, Van Gogh is most famous for, either wholly or partially, cutting his left ear off – this was during what is believed to have been a mental breakdown.
The famous Sunflowers painting is part of the permanent collection at the National Gallery in London. Watch a detailed seminar on the painting hosted by National Gallery’s Special Projects curator Colin Wiggins on YouTube.
Photos: Jean Carlo Emer and Ståle Grut