Sunflowers

Birger Sandzén, artist

1871–1954

Sunflowers, 1933

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: photomechanical relief print; laid paper

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 111.12 x 71.97 mm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 4 3/8 x 2 13/16 in
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 158.75 x 117.47 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 6 1/4 x 4 5/8 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 14 x 11 in

Credit line: Gift of Bud and Ruby Jennings, Prairie Print Makers Collection

Accession number: 1991.0421

Not on display

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Images

Label texts

Collection Cards: Plants

Artist Birger Sandzén was born in Sweden and moved to Lindsborg, Kansas in the late 1800s when he was in his early 20s. In Sweden he studied botany and identified nearly 1,000 different species of plants. His love of nature and interest in Kansas’s landscapes inspired much of his art. Sandzén would often take trips around Kansas to sketch the plants and flowers he found.

The state flower of Kansas, the sunflower, can grow up to 10 feet tall. As it grows, a sunflower’s head tilts to face the moving sun, but stops once it begins to bloom. When fully grown, sunflowers generally face east.

Do you think these sunflowers are young or old?

Where are they in their lifecycle? How can you tell?

Exhibition Label:
"A Kansas Arts Sampler," Oct-2004, Kate Meyer
A favorite artist among many Kansans, Birger Sandzén reproduces his earlier print of the state flower the cover on this card. Sandzén was among a large circle of artists who used personalized stationary for holiday greetings and general correspondence.