Last updated: · By Stanislav Arnautov · Berlin
Quick answer
Van Gogh's Sunflowers (1888) were painted for Gauguin's bedroom in the Yellow House, Arles. There are 5 Arles versions in 5 institutions. The Tokyo version sold for £24.75M (Christie's 1987, then world record). Chrome yellow (PbCrO₄) is fading in the originals — DeckArts reproduces the 1888 brightness. From ~$140 on Canadian maple.
Vincent van Gogh painted the Arles Sunflowers series in August 1888 specifically to decorate Paul Gauguin's bedroom at the Yellow House. Five Arles versions exist: National Gallery London (84.5 × 73 cm), Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam, Neue Pinakothek Munich, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Yasuda Kasai Museum Tokyo. The Tokyo version sold at Christie's London on 30 March 1987 for £24,750,000 — then the world auction record for any artwork.
9 Versions: The Complete Sunflowers Series
4 Paris versions (1887): cut flowers horizontal, botanical studies, Metropolitan Museum NY and Kroller-Müller Otterlo. 5 Arles versions (August 1888): sunflowers in vase, vertical format, the canonical series. Van Gogh wrote (Letter 666): "I want to make it so that entering the room is like entering a bower — all the sunflower canvases around."
Painted for Gauguin
The Arles Sunflowers were a gift of welcome — not a commercial commission. Van Gogh described them as "the gratitude" he felt for Gauguin's arrival. He associated chrome yellow with the Provençal sun and with the warmth he wanted to create for his guest. This makes the Sunflowers the second most personally significant Van Gogh paintings after Almond Blossom (painted for his nephew's nursery).
Chrome Yellow: Luminous and Toxic
Chrome yellow (lead chromate, PbCrO₄) is the dominant pigment — warmest, most saturated 19th-century yellow available. Also toxic: lead + hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺, carcinogen/neurotoxin). Van Gogh tasted paint from tubes, mixed with fingers. Under warm LED 2700K, chrome yellow reflects the warm spectrum (580–620 nm) at maximum luminosity. Under cool LED 4000K+, it reads as flat cold synthetic. 2700K is mandatory for Sunflowers display.
The Fading Originals
Chrome yellow undergoes photoreduction (PbCrO₄ → brown-orange Pb₂CrO₅) under UV exposure. Van Gogh Museum's 2019–21 conservation project documented significant yellowing/browning of the Amsterdam version's chrome yellow zones. The 1888 brightness is partially lost in all five originals. DeckArts UV archival print reproduces the 1888 chrome yellow brightness before 138 years of photoreduction — more chromatically faithful to Van Gogh's intention than the originals currently are.
The 1987 Auction Record
Tokyo version (101 × 76.5 cm, 15 flowers, blue background) sold Christie's London 30 March 1987 for £24,750,000 — then world auction record, purchased by Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Company Japan. Transformed Van Gogh's market position permanently. Subsequently confirmed by Portrait of Dr Gachet ($82.5M, Christie's 1990).
Sunflowers for Kitchen, Dining Room, Living Room
| Room | Wall colour | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Warm white or pale sage | Single (~$140) |
| Dining room | Warm white or terracotta | Diptych (~$230) |
| Living room | Warm white or pale sage | Triptych (~$310) |
| Bedroom | Warm white or pale cream | Single or diptych (~$140–$230) |
Van Gogh — Sunflowers Triptych (~$310)
View this piece →FAQ
How many Sunflowers paintings did Van Gogh make?
At least 9 versions: 4 Paris (1887, cut flowers) + 5 Arles (August 1888, vase). The 5 Arles versions are in National Gallery London, Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam, Neue Pinakothek Munich, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Yasuda Kasai Museum Tokyo. The Tokyo version sold Christie's 1987 for £24.75M.
Why did Van Gogh paint Sunflowers?
To decorate Gauguin's bedroom at the Yellow House, Arles (August 1888), in anticipation of Gauguin's arrival in October. A gift of welcome, not a commission. Van Gogh wanted to make the room "like entering a bower." DeckArts from ~$140.
Summary
5 Arles Sunflowers versions (August 1888) painted for Gauguin's Yellow House bedroom. Tokyo version: Christie's London 30 March 1987, £24,750,000 — then world record. Chrome yellow (PbCrO₄): luminous warm, toxic (lead + Cr⁶⁺), fading documented by Van Gogh Museum 2019–21. DeckArts reproduces 1888 brightness. 2700K mandatory. Canadian maple. UV archival 100+ years. Berlin. From ~$140. 30-day return.
About the Author
Stanislav Arnautov is the founder of DeckArts, a creative director from Ukraine based in Berlin.
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