Three Sunflowers / Sunflowers in a Vase (Paris period version, formerly in a private collection in Japan, destroyed in 1945)
Painting on canvas, portrait format • Vincent van Gogh
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, executed with heavy impasto, visible thick brushstrokes, and bold outlines typical of the artist's mature technique.
Creation Period
Summer-Autumn 1888 (Paris or Arles period)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 73 x 54 cm, vertical portrait format
Subject Description
A still life composition featuring five sunflowers in various stages of bloom and decay, arranged in a greenish-blue vase against a deep cobalt blue background, set on a purplish tabletop. The composition explores vibrant color contrasts, particularly yellow against blue.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Destroyed (Historically graded as Good prior to its loss in World War II)
Estimated Market Value
Inestimable / Priceless (Extinct museum-grade masterpiece)
Auction Estimate
Not applicable due to destruction; comparable extant versions would exceed $100,000,000 USD
Provenance History
Formerly in the collection of Kojiro Matsukata, acquired in Paris in the 1920s; subsequently stored in Kobe, Japan, and tragically destroyed by fire during the US bombing of Ashiya in August 1945.
Art Historical Significance
One of Van Gogh's celebrated series of sunflower paintings created to decorate the Yellow House in Arles for Paul Gauguin, representing a pinnacle of his exploration of color theory and expressive brushwork.
Notable Features
Distinct for its rare deep blue background and the specific arrangement of five sunflowers, this version was famously owned by Japanese industrialist Kojiro Matsukata before its destruction in WWII.
Condition Issues
Completely destroyed by fire in 1945; only black and white photographs and color reproductions survive.
Conservation Recommendations
No longer possible; preservation efforts are limited to archiving surviving photographic documentation and historical records.