Van Gogh's Sunflowers side by side

Art lovers will be seeing double at the National Gallery after it reunited two version's of Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers for a new exhibition.

It is the first time the paintings have been seen together for 65 years.

The central London ga llery bought its Sunflowers direct from the artist's family in 1924, and has borrowed the other picture from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Three other versions of the famous picture exist and are held in Tokyo, Munich and Philadelphia.

National Gallery director Dr Nicholas Penny said: "This exhibition is designed to help those for whom the paintings by Van Gogh are compelling images to understand how they were made - and made again - and out of what materials. It will deepen every visitor's appreciation of the artist. We are very grateful to the Van Gogh Museum for making this possible."

The works, which date from 1888, were painted by Van Gogh during his time in the south of France and are among the most recognisable works of art in the world.

The exhibition opens tomorrow and runs until April 27.