The first thing 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 not only a significant piece but also a bit unwieldy to handle when moving it around.

LEGO Art Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers

Priced at $199.99, available at the LEGO Store, this set is a testament to LEGO's commitment to merging adult curiosity with adult hobbies. It's designed not just as a tribute to one of the world's most iconic artworks but also as a piece of art that deserves to be displayed prominently in your home.

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Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers series, painted during his prolific time in Arles, France, holds a special place in his oeuvre. Van Gogh saw the sunflower as a symbol of gratitude and as an artistic muse. In his own words to a friend, he stated, "If [Georges] Jeannin has the peony, [Ernest] Quost the hollyhock, I indeed, before others, have taken the sunflower." Between August 1888 and January 1889, he created four original versions and three repetitions of the sunflowers in a vase, with the fourth version and its repetitions becoming the most renowned. The original fourth version (F454) resides at the National Gallery in London, England, while one repetition (F457) is at the Sompo Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan, and the other (F458), famous for its vibrant color composition, is at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Van Gogh Museum, established in 1973, collaborated with LEGO to bring the F458 repetition to life in LEGO form. This set, LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers, uses a three-dimensional relief and abstract pieces to emulate van Gogh's distinctive thick brushstrokes.

Upon opening the box, you'll find 34 numbered bags and an instruction booklet with a QR code that leads to a podcast exploring van Gogh's inspirations. The build process is practical and engaging. You start by constructing the frame, which can be leaned against a wall as you proceed. Next, you build the canvas with the painting, and finally, you mount the canvas into the frame using pins, adding a personal touch reminiscent of real-life art staging.

An intriguing Easter egg is embedded in the canvas construction. Van Gogh extended the canvas with a wooden strip during the painting of F458 to give his sunflowers more room. LEGO cleverly replicates this by having you build the canvas and then attach a separate strip at the top with pins, using brown bricks to mimic wood. This detail, circled in red in the photo below, is a subtle nod to van Gogh's creative process and adds an exclusive touch for the builder.

The meticulous process of building the full-bloom sunflowers can be repetitive, mirroring van Gogh's dedication. It's advisable to take breaks during the build to fully appreciate the experience. The wilting flowers and those shown in profile add an abstract charm that becomes coherent when viewed from a distance, revealing stems and leaves that enhance the overall effect.

A common question from adults is, "After you build a LEGO set, where do you put it?" For this set, the answer is clear: it belongs on your dining room wall, where it can be admired long after completion. A week after finishing mine, I still find new details to appreciate. This set, LEGO Vincent van Gogh - Sunflowers, Set #31215, comprises 2615 pieces and is available exclusively at the LEGO Store for $199.99.

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