The Art of Sports Trivia Quiz

Answer: Irises

Vincent Van Gogh painted "Irises" while he was staying at a mental institution in Saint-Remy in France. The painting depicts a patch of blue/purple irises with one white flower. Japanese woodblock prints are often credited as his inspiration for his study of flowers and his technique.

Some of the petals are outlined in black, which was a feature of the 17th century Japanese art he admired. In 1987 the painting was the most expensive piece of art to be auctioned in the world: at the time, it sold for $53.9 million.

Answer: Wheatfield with Crows

Possibly one of the last paintings he created, Van Gogh's "Wheatfield with Crows" is a dramatic work of art. The sky is deep blue against a yellow field of wheat. A flock of V-shaped crows look as though they have been startled and are taking off into the storm.

When writing about the painting, Van Gogh described the sky and his desire to make "a point of trying to express sadness, extreme loneliness". At the same time, he tried to depict what he considered "healthy and fortifying about the countryside".

Answer: Almond Blossom

Theo Van Gogh, Vincent's younger brother, married a woman named Joanna. They named their son Vincent after Theo's brother. The painter created "Almond Blossom" as a gift for the new-born child. Like "Irises", Van Gogh made use of Japanese techniques, such as dark outlines and bold, contrasting colours. It was not the first time he had painted this particular plant. In 1888, he created a series of paintings depicting small branches growing in a jar, like "Blossoming Almond in a Glass".

"The Blue Boy" was a painting by Thomas Gainsborough and "The Old Guitarist" was by Pablo Picasso.

Answer: A church

The Church at Auvers was painted in 1890 and depicts the grey church building against a deep blue sky. Van Gogh wrote about the painting in a letter to his sister, saying that the "stained-glass windows appear as ultramarine blotches" and the sandy path around the church has the "pink flow of sunshine" on it.

While the church tower does have a clock, the painted face is blank. The building was one of many that Van Gogh painted while in Auvers, a village north of Paris.

Answer: Starry Night over the Rhone

Vincent Van Gogh was intrigued by the effects of light at night and viewed painting it as a challenge. Around the same time as creating "Starry Night over the Rhone", he painted a few different pieces with the night sky as a main component. The gas lamps that lit the quayside were a relatively new invention and their reflection in the river in this painting is mesmerising.

John Constable painted "The Hay Wain" and "Rain, Steam and Speed" while "The Great Western Railway" was by J.M.W. Turner.

Answer: Van Gogh's Chair

"Gauguin's Chair" and "Van Gogh's Chair" were both painted around the same time in 1888. Van Gogh was an admirer of Paul Gauguin's work and invited the artist to stay with him in Arles. He hoped that they would work together and inspire each other. Things didn't go to plan.

The relationship became strained and after the infamous incident with a razor (Van Gogh severed part of his ear), Gaugin left Arles for good. The two paintings of chairs symbolise the differences between the two artists. "Gauguin's Chair" is full of bold, rich colours. "Van Gogh's Chair" is a simple kitchen chair with a pipe and a screwed-up piece of paper resting on the seat.

Answer: The Potato Eaters

Vincent Van Gogh viewed "The Potato Eaters" as a masterpiece that would set off his career in 1885. A preliminary sketch of the painting was sent to art dealers to advertise the artist's plans. Writing to Theo (his brother who was an art dealer), Van Gogh specified the type of background the painting should be displayed on: "it's a painting that looks well in gold... it would do equally well on a wall hung with a paper that had a deep tone of ripe wheat". Unfortunately, the painting received much criticism at the time and was only considered a true masterpiece after the artist's death.

"The Peasant Wedding" was a painting by Pieter Bruegel and Salvador Dali created "Basket of Bread". "Apples and Oranges" was painted by Paul Cezanne.

Answer: Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette

"Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette" was probably painted while Van Gogh was studying at an art academy in Antwerp. The instructors often used skeletons to teach about anatomy. Some consider the cigarette in a skeleton's mouth a joke, while others think it is a comment on the lifelessness of the subject that students had to draw at the school.

Kenneth Wolstenholme was a football commentator who famously said, "They think it's all over. It is now," at the end of the 1966 World Cup Final when England had beaten West Germany. "Man Smoking a Pipe" was a painting by Paul Cezanne. "Dogs Playing Poker" was a series of paintings by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge.

Answer: A cafe

"Cafe Terrace at Night" was painted in 1888. In the picture, there are people sitting under an awning outside a cafe. They are lit up by the orange light of the gas lamps - a contrast to the deep blue of the night sky behind them. Van Gogh most likely set his easel up in the street, rather than painting from memory. Astronomical data suggests that the position of the stars in the painting is correct.

Answer: Sunflower

Some of Van Gogh's most famous paintings are of sunflowers. While in Paris in 1887, he created a series of sunflower paintings where the flowers were arranged on a surface. When he revisited the plant in 1888 and '89, he painted sunflowers that were arranged in a vase instead.

In preparation of Paul Gaugin's arrival to the Yellow House in Arles, Van Gogh intended to decorate the whole studio with pictures of sunflowers.