The first thing to know about this LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers set is its impressive size. Measuring 21 inches high and 16 inches wide, it's approximately 60% the size of the original painting. This makes it large enough to be a bit unwieldy when you're picking it up, but that's part of its charm and presence.
Out March 1### LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers
0$199.99 at LEGO StoreThis set is not just a playful nod to one of the world's most famous artworks; it's a serious piece that demands to be displayed in your home as art. This distinction is crucial as LEGO continues to evolve from a mere adult curiosity to a respected adult hobby.
LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers
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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. He considered it his artistic muse, as he wrote in a letter to a friend:
"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 revisited this theme in January 1889, painting 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 showcased at the National Gallery in London, England. One repetition (F457) is displayed at the Sompo Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan, while the other repetition (F458) – celebrated for its vibrant color composition – is housed at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Established in 1973, the Van Gogh Museum collaborated with LEGO to bring us the LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers set, a tribute to the F458 repetition. This set is crafted as a three-dimensional relief, using 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 you to a podcast that delves into van Gogh's life and the inspirations behind his work.
I found the build's real-world practicality to be a highlight. You start by constructing the painting's frame, which you can lean against the wall while you work on the canvas. The canvas, complete with the painting, is then built and mounted into the frame, secured with pins. This process mirrors the real-life staging and presentation of art, adding a sense of value and importance to the finished set.
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 room. LEGO cleverly replicates this 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 mimic wood.
This seemingly superfluous detail is what makes the set so special. It's a subtle nod to the imperfections and creative process of a master artist, known only to the builder. It adds a layer of exclusivity and personal connection to the set, allowing the builder to decide whether to share this secret with others.
Building the full-bloom sunflowers can be a bit tedious, but it's unavoidable given the level of detail required to achieve such realism. The repetitiveness is part of the experience, echoing van Gogh's own meticulous approach. Take breaks and savor the process; this isn't a set to rush through.
I particularly enjoyed constructing the wilting flowers and those shown in profile. Initially, they seemed abstract and random, but stepping back reveals their purpose and beauty within the overall composition.
A common question among adult LEGO enthusiasts is, "Where do you display your sets after building them?" For this set, the answer is clear: it belongs on your dining room wall. This set is designed with a specific purpose in mind – to be enjoyed as art long after the building process is complete. A week after finishing it, I still find joy in discovering new three-dimensional details each time I look at it. This is the first great LEGO set of 2025, and it comes highly recommended.
LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers, Set #31215, retails for $199.99 and comprises 2615 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.
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