LEGO Unveils Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers with Hidden Art Surprise

The first thing you need to know about the 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 lifting it, but it's exactly this scale that commands attention and respect as a serious piece of art.

LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers

Priced at $199.99 at the LEGO Store, this set is a testament to the shift of LEGO from a mere adult curiosity to a respected adult hobby. It's not just a playful replica but a piece meant to be hung in a living space as genuine art.

Vincent van Gogh painted his renowned series of Sunflowers while residing in Arles, France, during a particularly fruitful time in his artistic journey. He had a deep emotional connection to the sunflower, associating it with gratitude. 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 revisited the motif in January 1889, painting a repetition of the third version and two different repetitions of the fourth.

Of these seven paintings, the fourth version and its two repetitions are the most celebrated. The original fourth version (F454) is displayed at the National Gallery in London, England. One repetition (F457) is showcased at the Sompo Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan, and the other repetition (F458) – known for its vibrant color composition and iconic status – resides at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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

Opening the box, you'll find 34 numbered bags and a printed instruction booklet with a QR code that leads to a podcast exploring van Gogh and his inspirations.

I found the build's practicality to be quite appealing. You start by constructing the painting's frame, which you can lean against the wall as you work. Then, you build the canvas with the painting itself on top.

The final assembly involves mounting the canvas into the frame and securing it with pins, adding a personal touch that mirrors the real-life process of staging and presenting art, enhancing the set's perceived value and importance.

A delightful Easter egg is hidden within the canvas' construction. Art experts noted that van Gogh extended the height of the canvas with a wooden strip during the painting process of F458 to give the sunflowers more room. LEGO amusingly replicates this by having you build the canvas first, then attach a separate strip at the top using pins, complete with brown bricks to simulate wood.

This detail, though imperceptible to casual viewers, adds a layer of exclusivity and a sense of the artist's trial and error process to the LEGO builder's experience. It's a subtle nod to the imperfections that even masters encounter while creating masterpieces.

Building the full-bloom sunflowers can be a bit tedious, but it's part of the process that reflects van Gogh's meticulous approach. Taking breaks is advisable, as this isn't a set you'd want to rush through. Instead, savor the build to truly appreciate the experience.

I particularly enjoyed constructing the wilting flowers and those shown in profile rather than head-on. Initially, they seemed abstract and random, but stepping back revealed their purpose and beauty within the overall composition.

A common question I get from other adults is, "After you build a LEGO set, where do you put it?" For this set, the answer is straightforward: it's proudly displayed on my dining room wall. This clarity of purpose adds to the anticipation of completing the build, and the joy of enjoying it long after it's finished. Even a week after completion, I find new details to appreciate.

This LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers, set #31215, comprises 2615 pieces and retails for $199.99. It's available exclusively at the LEGO Store and is highly recommended as the first great LEGO set of 2025.