Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Bursting with the vitality of her new home in the French village of Vétheuil, Joan Mitchell's 'Sunflower V' stands over two metres tall, as if it were reaching up toward the sun.
Painted in 1969, this quintessential example from her 'Sunflower' series marked a departure for the artist, whose earlier works reflected the somber palette and architectetonic forms of New York and Paris. Here she takes inspiration from the same fields of flowers that once captivated Monet and Van Gogh. And with a large private studio for the first time in her life, Mitchell was able to capture the natural abundance around her on a new scale, with bold, gestural strokes.
Stare at it long enough, and the viewer will find themselves transported to a summer afternoon in the French countryside.
🔗 Discover the story behind Mitchell's vital 'Sunflower V' at the link: christies.com/en/lot/lot-6559883?cid=EM_SM_O_YT_Inc_CON____________
📅 20th and 21st Century Art auctions | New York | 17–20 November.
Bursting with the vitality of her new home in the French village of Vétheuil, Joan Mitchell's 'Sunflower V' stands over two metres tall, as if it were reaching up toward the sun.
Painted in 1969, this quintessential example from her 'Sunflower' series marked a departure for the artist, whose earlier works reflected the somber palette and architectetonic forms of New York and Paris. Here she takes inspiration from the same fields of flowers that once captivated Monet and Van Gogh. And with a large private studio for the first time in her life, Mitchell was able to capture the natural abundance around her on a new scale, with bold, gestural strokes.
Stare at it long enough, and the viewer will find themselves transported to a summer afternoon in the French countryside.
🔗 Discover the story behind Mitchell's vital 'Sunflower V' at the link: christies.com/en/lot/lot-6559883?cid=EM_SM_O_YT_Inc_CON____________
📅 20th and 21st Century Art auctions | New York | 17–20 November.
