Creation and Context

Van Gogh painted this series in August 1888 while he was in Arles, France. The sunflowers were intended to decorate his studio, the Yellow House, in anticipation of the arrival of his friend Paul Gauguin. The series was part of Van Gogh's vision to create a welcoming and artistic environment for Gauguin

Technique and Style

The painting is characterized by its simplicity and the use of a single dominant color, yellow, which Van Gogh used in various shades. This approach demonstrated his ability to create an image with numerous variations of a single color without losing eloquence. The painting is oil on canvas, measuring 91 x 72 cm

Symbolism

Sunflowers held significant symbolic meaning for Van Gogh, representing life, hope, and his concept of the sun as round, glowing, and yellow. These themes were particularly important to him during periods of mental illness and depression

Provenance

The specific painting titled Vase with Twelve Sunflowers is currently located at the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, Germany. It was acquired by the museum in 1912 as a gift from a collector in memory of Hugo von Tschudi

Exhibitions

The painting has been exhibited in several notable exhibitions, including shows in Wiesbaden, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, and other cities in Europe. It has also been part of larger Van Gogh retrospectives and exhibitions on 19th-century French painting

Series

Van Gogh painted multiple versions of sunflower paintings, including several with twelve sunflowers in a vase. These works are among his most famous and were produced to showcase his innovative use of color and composition