The Philadelphia Museum of Art is opening a special display, "Van Gogh’s Sunflowers: A Symphony in Blue and Yellow" (June 6–October 11), that brings together two of Van Gogh's iconic Sunflowers paintings: the Philadelphia museum's own version (January 1889) and a rare loan of London's National Gallery's version with a yellow background (August 1888). This marks the first time the London painting has crossed the Atlantic, and only its fifth loan abroad since 1924. The reunion was reciprocated after Philadelphia lent its Sunflowers to London's 2024 exhibition "Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers."
The display matters because it offers a unique opportunity to examine Van Gogh's evolving intentions for his Sunflowers series, which he originally envisioned as a "symphony in blue and yellow" of a dozen panels. The pairing highlights his plan to display the yellow and turquoise versions as wings of a triptych with his portrait "La Berceuse" as the centerpiece—a concept explored in the exhibition's catalogue. The loan also underscores the extreme rarity and significance of these works, as museums are typically reluctant to lend such masterpieces.