Van Gogh's »Sunflowers« – Film Production for Art & Cultural TV Series

When Art Becomes a Brand – Basiliscus Film Connects Cultural Themes with the Zeitgeist

Van Gogh painted his »Sunflowers« in a burst of creative ecstasy – today, variations of them hang in the world's most important museums. Basiliscus Film researched in Amsterdam for »Meisterwerke Revisited« how rapidly applied paint became a global brand ambassador – and what connects advertising, art, and mass culture in this story.

Vincent van Gogh's »Sunflowers« in Munich

The Sunflower paintings rank among Van Gogh's most famous and most valuable works. The first Sunflower paintings were created in 1887 in Arles, in the south of France, where Van Gogh lived for a period. It was there that his friend, the painter Paul Gauguin – whom Van Gogh greatly admired – came to visit him, fulfilling a long-held dream: to work alongside other artists. The paintings created there radiate a deep harmony with nature and reveal a highly personal relationship with colour.

The artist referred to himself as the painter of sunflowers. He created several versions of the subject, which now hang in museums in Amsterdam, Bern, London, New York, and Philadelphia. The painting at the heart of this episode can be seen at the Neue Pinakothek in Munich and was painted in 1888.

A Journey Across Europe to the Icons of Art History: 10-Part TV Series for Deutsche Welle | euromaxx

Ten paintings that everyone knows. Ten painters and their biographies. Ten masterworks of art history. Cited, reproduced, and received hundreds of thousands of times. In the series »Meisterwerke Revisited«, we travel to Europe's most renowned museums, present their most famous works, and offer a fresh perspective on each one.

What qualities does Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa fulfil to be considered an icon? Or Edvard Munch's The Scream? Advertising creatives, designers, artists, and art historians tell us why these old masterworks remain as relevant as ever – and share their own interpretations.

In the ten-part TV series »Meisterwerke Revisited«, Berlin-based film production company Basiliscus Film – commissioned by Deutsche Welle – dedicates each episode to one of ten paintings that have achieved cult status. Our camera team embarked on an in-depth journey across Europe to visit the most celebrated paintings in art history.