LONDON – For the first time, Vincent van Gogh’s iconic “Sunflowers” paintings will be displayed side-by-side in a major exhibition at the National Gallery in London. The show, titled “Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers,” marks the centenary of the gallery’s acquisition of one of the works and features a triptych of the renowned series.
The exhibit focuses on Van Gogh’s prolific two-year period in the south of France, spanning from February 1888 to May 1890. This period saw Van Gogh’s art evolve with new inventiveness and boldness, as noted by exhibition co-curator Christopher Riopelle. The display includes around fifty paintings and drawings, showcasing Van Gogh’s masterful use of color and emotional depth.
The highlight of the exhibition is a room with yellow walls featuring three significant works: two “Sunflowers” paintings, one from the National Gallery’s collection and the other loaned by a museum in Washington, flanking “The Lullaby,” a depiction of a woman in an armchair.
Riopelle explained that Van Gogh envisioned the arrangement to provide comfort, inspired by his idea of presenting a “Sunflowers” painting with a yellow background beside one with a blue background, with “La Berceuse” in the middle to offer a sense of solace.
The exhibition includes other notable works from Van Gogh’s time in the south of France, including scenes of olive trees, local mountains, and gardens of the psychiatric institution in Saint-Remy de Provence where he resided. Co-curator Cornelia Homburg emphasized the show’s intent to honor Van Gogh’s artistic ambitions and his deep connection to nature, friends, and family, countering the often one-dimensional portrayal of him as merely tormented.