Two Cut Sunflowers
Painting on canvas • Vincent van Gogh
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas using heavy impasto, rhythmic brushstrokes, and wet-on-wet application
Creation Period
late August - October 1887
Dimensions & Format
43.2 cm x 61.0 cm (Landscape format)
Subject Description
Close-up study of two wilted sunflower heads gone to seed, lying horizontally on a flat surface. The composition uses vibrant blues in the background to contrast the ochres and yellows of the dying flowers, symbolizing the cycle of life and decay.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent (Museum Grade). Original currently housed in the Van Gogh Museum.
Estimated Market Value
$80,000,000 - $120,000,000 USD (Inestimable due to museum status)
Auction Estimate
$100,000,000+ USD
Provenance History
Formerly in the collection of Theo van Gogh; inherited by Johanna van Gogh-Bonger; acquired by the Van Gogh Foundation and housed in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam since its opening.
Art Historical Significance
Crucial transitional piece from Van Gogh's Paris period. This series of four sunflower paintings (cut heads) predates the famous Arles 'Sunflowers in a Vase' series and demonstrates his mastery of color theory and expressive brushwork.
Notable Features
Highly textured paint surface (impasto) where the seeds are depicted through individual dabs of thick paint; intense complementary color palette of orange-yellow against cobalt-cerulean blue.
Condition Issues
Minor age-related craquelure and slight darkening of yellow pigments (chrome yellow) due to light exposure over a century.
Conservation Recommendations
Strict climate control (50% RH), UV-filtered glazing, and limited lux hour exposure per year.