Sunflowers Art Analysis




Posted above is "Sunflowers" painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889. Van Gogh was very fond of sunflowers, which I can personally identify with since I like sunflowers also.  He has painted 11 other canvases for his sunflower series. In this painting the artist uses bold colors in an expressionist style. His technique creates a visible texture that you can see on the surface of the canvas. The oil paint recreates the three-dimensional textures of the sunflowers. By creating "Sunflowers" Vincent wanted to symbolize gratitude. He used the color yellow to represent sunshine, the south, and Christ. The bright and bold colors used with different shades of yellow compliment the canvas beautifully. I have always found that sunflowers are bright and bring happiness to me whenever I see them. The shape of the circular flowers is very appealing to look at and brings comfort to the piece. I really appreciate the attention to detail on each sunflower. I enjoy that not all the sunflowers are the same, some are healthy, some beginning to wilt, and some are dying. Each flower painted by Vincent van Gogh holds a different feeling. 

Sources:

Philadelphia Museum of Art. https://philamuseum.org/doc_downloads/education/object_resources/59202.pdf

"What You Need to Know about Van Gogh's Sunflowers." Van Gogh Museum, https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/art-and-stories/stories/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-van-goghs-sunflowers


Comments

  1. Kayla YanezMay 31, 2022 at 4:37 PM

    I have always admired Van Goh's sunflowers, but I didn't realize he had 11 in total! Thanks for that bit of information. I agree the yellow tones bring a cheerful feeling and I love the use of texture.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sophia MartinJune 3, 2022 at 12:04 AM

    I agree that yellow is a very calming color, along with green, and there is some green in the painting as well. I also appreciate that the yellows are more tame than they are bright, which somehow seems to express gratitude like you said. You also pointed out the fact that all the flowers in the picture are different, which makes me realize how much attention van Gogh payed to each and every one of them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chloe E. KingJune 11, 2022 at 11:14 PM

    What a lovely piece! I agree that painting the flowers in different stages of life makes for an interesting visual rather than having all the flowers be exactly the same. This would be a great piece to brighten up a room. The yellow is so lively and delightful.

    ReplyDelete

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