Vase with Twelve Sunflowers

Few flowers are as closely tied to one artist as sunflowers are to Vincent van Gogh. He painted this cheerful bouquet in Arles, in the south of France, while eagerly awaiting the arrival of his friend and fellow painter Paul Gauguin. Van Gogh wanted to decorate the guest room with a whole series of sunflower paintings, imagining them as bright symbols of friendship and welcome. He worked quickly, painting in the morning light before the blooms could wilt, and you can almost feel that urgency in the thick, swirling brushstrokes.

Notice how Van Gogh used yellow against yellow, flowers glowing warm in front of a turquoise wall, with the whole thing built up in heavy paint that gives the petals real texture. The blooms range from fresh and full to drooping and going to seed, a quiet reminder that nothing stays perfect forever. Look closely at the vase and you will spot his signature, simply "Vincent," painted right onto the pottery. He was genuinely proud of these works, calling them his own, and over time they have become some of the most beloved paintings in the world.