Sunflowers

Taken from: Philadelphia Museum of Art

The painting Vase with Twelve Sunflowers is one of four paintings of sunflowers Van Gogh painted in 1887-1888. This particular painting was meant to be put in Gauguin's room which he could look at as a gift for his arrival in Arles. This painting is realistic because Van Gogh had sunflowers that he used to paint this painting. This painting shows that Van Gogh was working hard on the sunflowers because he was adamant on completing his "Sunflower" series to show his friend Paul Gauguin. It is important because it shows that he had wanted to decorate his room to make sure that the sunflowers painted will give him strength when looking at the blue walls. He also most likely made the series to give him inspiration no matter where he was in the house.

  The medium Van Gogh used to the sunflowers was oil on canvas. The subject is to show the scenery portraying the sunflowers in a vase with a blue background. The technique and styles used were heavy brush strokes and paint that was applied thickly. The techniques and styles he used was to use the colors to express himself so others can understand his work too.