Home News LEGO Unveils Van Gogh's Sunflowers with Hidden Art Surprise

LEGO Unveils Van Gogh's Sunflowers with Hidden Art Surprise

Author : Sebastian Update : Apr 27,2025

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 roughly 60% the size of the original painting and large enough to be a bit unwieldy when you pick it up. This set is not just a playful model; it's a serious tribute to one of the world's most famous artworks, designed to be displayed as art in your home. This reflects LEGO's ongoing transition from a mere adult curiosity to a respected adult hobby.

LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers

Price: $199.99 at LEGO Store

Vincent van Gogh painted his iconic series of Sunflowers during his time in Arles, France, a period marked by prolific creativity. Van Gogh had a deep emotional connection to the sunflower, associating it with gratitude and even claiming it as his unique 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. 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 renowned. The original fourth version (F454) is displayed 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), notable for its vivid color composition, is housed at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Van Gogh Museum, established in 1973, collaborated with LEGO to launch the LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers set, paying homage to the F458 repetition. This LEGO set is crafted as a three-dimensional relief, utilizing abstract pieces to mimic van Gogh's distinctive thick brushstrokes.

Opening the box, you'll find 34 numbered bags and a printed instruction booklet accompanied by a QR code. Scanning this code leads to a podcast that delves into van Gogh's life and the inspirations behind his work. The build process is both practical and engaging. You start by constructing the frame, which you can lean against a wall while waiting to complete the canvas. The canvas is built separately and then mounted into the frame, secured with pins, which adds a personal touch reminiscent of the real-life staging and presentation process, enhancing the set's perceived value and importance.

An intriguing Easter egg lies within the canvas construction. Art experts discovered that van Gogh extended the height of the canvas with a wooden strip during the painting of F458 to give the sunflowers more space. LEGO cleverly replicates this detail by having you build the canvas and then attach a separate strip at the top with pins. This detail, circled in red in the photo below, uses brown bricks to simulate wood.

This subtle nod to van Gogh's process is a delightful addition, imperceptible to casual observers but meaningful to the builder. It embodies the trial and error of creating a masterpiece and adds an exclusive feel that you can choose to share with others.

Building the full-bloom sunflowers can be repetitive, yet it mirrors van Gogh's meticulous approach. Take breaks and enjoy the process, as this set isn't meant to be rushed. The wilting and profile-view flowers, initially abstract, reveal their purpose when viewed from a distance, transforming into stems and leaves.

When asked where to display a completed LEGO set, the answer for this one is clear: on your dining room wall. This set not only serves as a rewarding building experience but also as a lasting piece of decor. A week after completing it, I continue to appreciate its three-dimensional details. The LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers set, numbered 31215, contains 2615 pieces and is available exclusively at the LEGO Store for $199.99.