Great Paintings of the World/Sunflowers

Andrew Marr continue his series with Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh, one of four of the subject the Dutch master painted.

It did not really tell you too much you did not know already but I guess the series is not pitched at the connoisseur – more the interested learner.

My friend Martin Gayford who published a work on the time Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin spent in Arles provided a well-informed input.

The fascinating aspect of Van Gogh is the paradox between a difficult, disturbed mind and an artistic genius who was most prolific when in the asylum at St Remy.

The other point often made is that he never sold a painting in his lifetime but he came quite close. If he had not shot himself he surely would.

The heroine of the story is Van Gogh’s sister-in-law, the wife of art dealer brother Theo who died 6 months after Vincent.

Even though he was still unknown, she was passed all his letters and paintings which in turn went to her son and – on his death – the Dutch state museums.