This illustrated book is a celebration of the image of the sunflower in art and literature: in the work of the Symbolists and the British aesthetic movement, and in Realist and Impressionist paintings. It offers an examination of the flower's significance from pre-Columbian times to the early 20th century, and the particular significance of the sunflower in Van Gogh's work is explored by Debra Mancoff. This volume is published to coincide with the Art Institute of Chicago's exhibition of work by Van Gogh and Gaugin. The brief essays and reproductions survey the chronology of representations of the sunflower and create a context for Van Gogh's work. Debra Mancoff develops the image of the sunflower as a lasting emblem of the artist.