Sunflower imagery has an enduring quality that has been captured most famously in the work of Vincent van Gogh. Indeed, for many people the sunflower has become synonymous with his art, but, as this delightful hardcover book so amply demonstrates, the flower's significance can be traced from pre-Colombian times to the present day.
The book's numerous, full color illustrations celebrate the image of the sunflower from its first appearance in sixteenth-century botanical texts to twentieth century representations. Brief essays and reproductions survey the chronology of the sunflower in literature and art, highlighting its presence in the work of the Symbolists and British Aesthetic movement, as well as in Realist and Impressionist paintings. The flower's represenation in art and science creates a context for van Gogh's work, and the penultimate section of the book develops the image of the sunflower as a lasting emblem of the artist. The final chapter surveys the relevance of the flower for artists into the late twentieth century.
Debra N. Mancoff has written monographs on Edward Burne-Jones, Jane Morris, Mary Cassatt and other artists, and is the author of "Van Gogh's Flowers."
With 173 illustrations, over 125 in color.