{"id":3736,"date":"2012-06-18T07:03:18","date_gmt":"2012-06-18T12:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artcorner.com\/?p=3736"},"modified":"2012-06-18T07:03:18","modified_gmt":"2012-06-18T12:03:18","slug":"vincent-van-goghs-mutant-sunflowers-a-botanical-experiment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.overstockart.com\/blog\/vincent-van-goghs-mutant-sunflowers-a-botanical-experiment\/","title":{"rendered":"Vincent van Gogh’s Mutant Sunflowers – A Botanical Experiment"},"content":{"rendered":"

The word \u201cmutant\u201d conjures images of superheroes, space aliens and strange creatures. But sunflowers?<\/p>\n

Yes. Vincent van Gogh\u2019s<\/a> obsession with sunflowers gripped him throughout his career. His 1888-1889 Sunflower Series is perhaps some of his most recognized and vibrant work. But the swirling, almost surrealistic portrayal of sunflowers weren\u2019t a symptom of van Gogh\u2019s mental illness.<\/p>\n

His \u201cteddy bear\u201d sunflowers were \u2013 are \u2013 genetic mutants, so say scientists.\u00a0 And they\u2019ve solved the mystery by cross-breeding different types of sunflowers and mapping their genetics.<\/p>\n

According to plant biologist John Burke at the University of Georgia, \u201cSunflowers as a whole family, is the largest and most successful plant family on Earth. \u00a0There\u2019s a lot of floral variation going on, largely due to change in symmetry. We think the genes controlling this symmetry could play an extremely important role in their success.\u201d Burke co-authored a study of sunflowers published online in PLoS Genetics<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sunflowers are not single flowers. Instead, they are clusters of hundreds of florets that vary, growing in two types: ray florets (petal-like flowers that edge the sunflower\u2019s head and don\u2019t develop seeds) and disc florets (tube-like flowers which grow seeds, filling the centers of the sunflower). But other florets are numerous, as well. Some are double-flowered (all ray-like florets). Some are call tubular (all disc-like). And some are in-between types like the \u201cteddy bear\u201d \u2013 a type that grows a combination of the two types of florets (double-flowered) and are highly prized by growers \u2013 and, it seems, van Gogh.<\/p>\n

His Vase With Fifteen Sunflowers<\/a> shows a few of these \u201cteddy bears\u201d while his work,<\/p>\n

Two Cut Sunflowers<\/a> provides an up-close view of this unusual \u2013 and coveted \u2013 type of sunflower. Van Gogh\u2019s Sunflowers \u2013 First Version<\/a>, showcases the difference between the types of flowers, with the \u201cteddy bear\u201d the focus of the painting.<\/p>\n

As with his own mental and physical condition, van Gogh painted sunflowers in various stages of life: from full blooms in bright yellows to the dry browns of blooms deteriorating into death. The first of the sunflower paintings were done to decorate his friend Paul Gaugin\u2019s bedroom.<\/p>\n

However, it appears that van Gogh preferred to seize the symbol of happiness, of light and life, as he desperately tried to beat back the demons of depression. Said van Gogh in a letter to his brother Theo about the desire to paint the sunflowers:<\/p>\n

Now that I hope to live with Gauguin in a studio of our own, I want to make decorations for the studio. Nothing but big flowers. Next door to your shop, in the restaurant, you know there is a lovely decoration of flowers; I always remember the big sunflowers in the window there.<\/p>\n

If I carry out this idea there will be a dozen panels. So the whole thing will be a symphony in blue and yellow. I am working at it every morning from sunrise on, for the flowers fade so soon, and the thing is to do the whole in one rush.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This one quote clearly demonstrates the hope that van Gogh clung to in creating a new life for himself, for a bright future both professionally and personally.<\/p>\n

Although his life ended in tragedy by his own hand, van Gogh left us with symbols of brilliance \u2013 sunflowers<\/a> of all types, bringing happiness and hope to heavy hearts \u2013 mutants or not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The word \u201cmutant\u201d conjures images of superheroes, space aliens and strange creatures. But sunflowers? Yes. Vincent van Gogh\u2019s obsession with sunflowers gripped him throughout his career. His 1888-1889 Sunflower Series is perhaps some of his most recognized and vibrant work. But the swirling, almost surrealistic portrayal of sunflowers weren\u2019t a symptom of van Gogh\u2019s mental […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":3737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[723],"tags":[407,38],"class_list":["post-3736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art","tag-sunflowers","tag-vincent-van-gogh"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVincent van Gogh's Mutant Sunflowers - A Botanical Experiment - ArtCorner: A Blog by overstockArt.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.overstockart.com\/blog\/vincent-van-goghs-mutant-sunflowers-a-botanical-experiment\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vincent van Gogh's Mutant Sunflowers - A Botanical Experiment - ArtCorner: A Blog by overstockArt.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The word \u201cmutant\u201d conjures images of superheroes, space aliens and strange creatures. 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