Vincent van Gogh painted his famous sunflowers to decorate a bedroom for his friend, the artist Paul Gauguin.

In August 1888, Van Gogh worked in the Yellow House in Arles, France. He finished four sunflower paintings in only one week. He used a style called impasto, where paint is layered so thick it sticks out from the canvas.Van Gogh used a new paint called chrome yellow. This paint contained lead and gave the flowers a very bright look. Scientists have found that this specific yellow paint is unstable. It turns brown or olive-green over time when it is hit by light.Van Gogh wrote about his work in letters to his brother, Theo. In Letter 666, he described working quickly to finish the decorations before Gauguin arrived. Gauguin moved in during October 1888 and liked the paintings so much he asked to keep one. Today, these paintings are kept in museums around the world, including London and Amsterdam.