SUNFLOWERS (1888); SUNFLOWERS IN A YELLOW VASE (1996)
THE Sunflowers is at London’s National Gallery, where Hockney had plenty of opportunities to study it. Hockney’s is a direct homage to Van Gogh’s most famous picture, even though he depicts his flowers in a more conventional and realist style. Hockney seems to be saying: only Van Gogh can paint sunflowers quite so exuberantly.