The first thing to know about this LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers build is its impressive size. Measuring 21 inches high and 16 inches wide, it's approximately 60% the size of the original painting, making it large enough to be unwieldy when picking it up. This set, priced at $199.99 and available exclusively at the LEGO Store, is not just a playful homage but a serious piece of art intended to be displayed in a home as a genuine work of art. This reflects LEGO's ongoing transition from a mere adult curiosity to a respected adult hobby.
Out March 1### LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers
0$199.99 at LEGO StoreIt's of a size and scope that demands to be taken seriously. This set is a tribute to one of the most iconic artworks in the world, but it also merits being hung up in a living space as art—a significant distinction as LEGO evolves from an adult curiosity to an adult hobby.
LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers
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Vincent van Gogh painted his renowned series of Sunflowers during his time in Arles, France, a prolific phase in his artistic career. Van Gogh had a deep emotional connection to the sunflower, associating it with gratitude and considering it his artistic muse. In a letter to a friend, he wrote:
"If [Georges] Jeannin has the peony, [Ernest] Quost the hollyhock, I indeed, before others, have taken the sunflower."
In August 1888, van Gogh created four versions of sunflowers in a vase, and he revisited this theme in January 1889, producing a repetition of the third version and two different repetitions of the fourth version.
Among these seven paintings, the fourth version and its two repetitions are the most famous. The original fourth version (F454) is showcased at the National Gallery in London, England. One repetition (F457) can be seen at the Sompo Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan, and the other repetition (F458) – the most iconic due to its vibrant color composition – is displayed at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Established in 1973, the Van Gogh Museum collaborated with LEGO to release the LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers set, a tribute to the F458 repetition. The set is designed as a three-dimensional relief, utilizing abstract pieces to mimic van Gogh's distinctive thick brushstrokes.
Upon opening the box, you'll find 34 numbered bags and a printed instruction booklet with a QR code. Scanning this code leads to a podcast discussing van Gogh and the inspirations behind his work.
I appreciated the build's real-world practicality. You first assemble the painting's frame, which can be leaned against the wall while you work on the canvas. The canvas is built with the painting on top of it, and the final step involves mounting the canvas into the frame and securing it with pins. This process mirrors the real-life staging and presentation, enhancing the completed set's sense of value and importance.
There's a delightful Easter egg hidden in the canvas' construction. Art experts discovered that van Gogh extended the height of the canvas with a wooden strip during the painting process to give the sunflowers more space. LEGO humorously replicates this imperfection by having you build the canvas first and then attach a separate strip at the top with pins. The designers even used brown bricks to mimic wood, as shown circled in red in the photo below.
This subtle detail might go unnoticed by others, but it's a treat for the builder, reflecting the trial and error that even a master artist like van Gogh experienced. It also adds a sense of exclusivity, as the builder can choose whether to share this secret with others.
The process of building the full-bloom sunflowers can be tedious, but it's necessary to achieve a convincing result. The repetition in the build mirrors van Gogh's meticulous approach to his work. It's best to take breaks and savor the process, as this isn't a set to rush through.
I particularly enjoyed building the wilting flowers and those represented in profile. Initially, these elements seemed abstract and random, but they make sense when viewed from a distance, revealing themselves as stems or leaves.
A common question I get from other adults is, "Where do you display a LEGO set after building it?" With this set, the answer is straightforward: on my dining room wall. This set is designed to be a permanent fixture in your home, allowing you to enjoy it long after completion. A week after finishing it, I still find new three-dimensional details to appreciate. This is the first great LEGO set of 2025 and comes highly recommended.
LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers, Set #31215, retails for $199.99 and consists of 2615 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.
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