Vincent van Gogh · 1887
Sunflowers
Oil on canvas
17 x 24 in. (43.2 x 61 cm)
The Met Open Access · Public Domain
Official collection record ↗Everyday Light
A fictional exhibition concept bringing together four public-domain paintings, with an artwork checklist, looking prompts and practical visit questions.
Begin with what you notice.
There is no prescribed route through these four examples. Move between the works and compare what the painters choose to emphasise.
Colour
Look for repeated colours, then notice where the palette changes. Does one small area pull your eye away from the rest?
Surface
Follow a visible mark from one part of a picture to another. How do directional marks help flowers, clouds or clothing feel different?
Scale
Read the dimensions below each work. The screen makes very different objects appear similar in size; imagine them at their actual scale.
The artwork checklist.
These are real works used as open-access digital examples. Source records and rights appear beside each image.
Vincent van Gogh · 1889
Wheat Field with Cypresses
Oil on canvas
28 13/16 × 36 3/4 in. (73.2 × 93.4 cm)
The Met Open Access · Public Domain
Full artwork information ↗
Vincent van Gogh · 1887
Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (obverse: The Potato Peeler)
Oil on canvas
16 x 12 1/2 in. (40.6 x 31.8 cm)
The Met Open Access · Public Domain
Official collection record ↗
Helena de Kay · ca. 1870–77
Water Lilies
Oil on canvas
10 × 15 in. (25.4 × 38.1 cm)
The Met Open Access · Public Domain
Official collection record ↗Before making plans.
Dates, admission, opening times, available facilities and group arrangements are sample content. Confirm the actual venue’s programme and access information directly before travelling.
Visit & access questions ↗