The Painter of Sunflowers is a painting made by Paul Gauguin in 1888, during the time he spent in Arles with Vincent van Gogh. The work does not depict sunflowers, as the title might suggest, but portrays Van Gogh himself painting his famous Sunflowers series. The picture captures the creative and psychological tension between the two artists, at a time when their collaboration was becoming increasingly complex.
Gauguin depicts Van Gogh with strong, almost caricatural features, highlighting his emotional intensity. The psychological slant of the work suggests a portrait that is not idealised, but human, fragile and tormented. The colours are strong and clean-cut, typical of Gauguin’s pictorial language, and contrast with the apparent calm of the scene.
The painting is now considered a precious record of the relationship between two of the most influential Post-Impressionist painters, as well as a direct testimony to the creative and tense climate of the “Yellow House” in Arles.
Unique quality material
Print on handmade Amalfi paper Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in) With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in) Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges Frame: light brown beech wood and wood pulp, handmade
How an Amalfi art print is made, what the frame is like, what museum glass is, how long shipping takes, and how returns work: we’ve gathered all the answers on a single page.
