Elena Rossi
There is much debate surrounding the number of paintings by Vincent van Gogh that were sold during his lifetime. It is widely believed that van Gogh only sold one painting, The Red Vineyard, which was bought by Anna Boch, the sister of the artist's friend Eugène Boch. However, some sources suggest that van Gogh sold more than one painting, with his brother Theo successfully selling another work to a gallery in London, and the artist himself mentioning in his letters that he sold a portrait. Today, van Gogh's works are among the world's most expensive paintings ever sold, with Portrait of Dr. Gachet selling for US$82.5 million at Christie's and Irises selling for US$53.9 million at Sotheby's.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of paintings sold during his lifetime | It is believed that Van Gogh sold only one painting, "The Red Vineyard", during his lifetime. However, there is evidence that he sold at least one other painting, a self-portrait, before his death. |
| Number of paintings sold after his death | Many of Van Gogh's paintings were sold after his death, and they are now among the world's most expensive paintings. |
| Most expensive paintings sold | "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" ($82.5 million), "Irises" ($53.9 million), "Portrait of Joseph Roulin" (over $100 million), "L'Allée des Alyscamps" ($66.3 million), and "Wheat Field with Cypresses" ($57 million) are among the most expensive Van Gogh paintings sold. |
| Museums with significant collections | The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam holds the world's largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings. The Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, the Netherlands, also has a considerable collection. |
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What You'll Learn
Van Gogh's paintings are among the world's most expensive
Vincent van Gogh is widely regarded as one of history's greatest painters and a significant contributor to modern art. Van Gogh's paintings are among the world's most expensive artworks, with his most valuable piece, "Orchard with Cypresses," selling for a staggering $117.2 million in 2022. This sale broke records, reflecting the deep symbolism, unique techniques, and vibrant colours that characterise Van Gogh's artistic genius.
Van Gogh's works are highly coveted and valued, attracting investors who appreciate their financial worth and aesthetic appeal. The artist's talent for infusing emotion and imagination into his creations has resulted in captivating visual experiences that extend far beyond the canvas. This distinct style sets Van Gogh apart from his contemporaries, making his paintings desirable acquisitions.
The second most expensive Van Gogh artwork is the "Portrait of Dr. Paul Gachet," which sold for $82.5 million in 1990. This painting beautifully captures the relationship between Van Gogh and his doctor during his stay in an asylum, showcasing the doctor's solemn state of mind. The original work was resold, and its value was reaffirmed as the highest price for a painting until 2006.
Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" also made history when it was sold for $39.9 million in 1987, setting a record-breaking amount for a work of art at the time. The painting's vibrant yellow hues and thick strokes bring the oversized sunflower blooms to life, creating a three-dimensional effect that seems to leap off the canvas. Today, "Sunflowers" is estimated to be worth over $80 million and could potentially fetch several hundred million dollars at auction.
While the exact number of Van Gogh's paintings sold during his lifetime is unknown, it is believed that he only sold one painting, "The Red Vineyard," which was purchased by his friend's sister, Anna Boch, for 400 francs. However, Van Gogh's fame grew posthumously, and his artworks continue to increase in value, with many investors flocking to purchase his rare and prestigious pieces.
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It is believed that Van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime
It is widely believed that Vincent Van Gogh, the renowned Dutch artist, sold only one painting during his lifetime. This painting, titled "The Red Vineyard" or "The Vigne Rouge", was bought by Anna Boch, a Belgian painter and art collector, for 400 Belgian francs. The sale of this artwork is the only one officially recorded and acknowledged by the art world during Van Gogh's lifetime.
However, there is some debate surrounding this belief. While it is true that "The Red Vineyard" is the only known painting sold to someone outside of Van Gogh's family or circle of artist friends, there is evidence suggesting that other paintings may have been sold or traded as well. For instance, it is known that Van Gogh's brother, Theo, successfully sold one of his brother's works, possibly a self-portrait, to a gallery in London. Additionally, Van Gogh himself mentions in his letters that he sold a portrait to someone, but the identity of this painting remains unknown.
Van Gogh's first commission came from his uncle Cor, an art dealer who wanted to support his nephew's artistic endeavours. Uncle Cor ordered 19 cityscapes of The Hague, and Van Gogh also traded his paintings with other artists, particularly during his younger years, often exchanging them for food or art supplies. These transactions, while not necessarily considered traditional sales, do indicate that Van Gogh actively participated in the art world and exchanged his works for tangible benefits.
Despite these transactions, it is important to acknowledge that Van Gogh's fame and success as an artist came predominantly after his death. During his lifetime, his works were largely unrecognized, and he struggled to find an audience for his unique and expressive style. It was only in the decades following his passing that his art gained widespread critical and commercial acclaim, with his paintings becoming some of the world's most recognizable and expensive works of art.
In summary, while the belief that Van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime persists, it is important to recognize that the reality may be more nuanced. The sale of "The Red Vineyard" to Anna Boch is well-documented and significant, but other transactions and exchanges of his artworks did occur, even if they were not officially recorded or acknowledged in the same way. Van Gogh's legacy as an artist continues to evolve and inspire, and his impact on modern art remains undeniable.
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The Red Vineyard is the only widely known sale
It is widely believed that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime: The Red Vineyard. This work was bought by Anna Boch, a painter and art collector, for 400 francs (then £16) at a Brussels exhibition in March 1890, just four months before van Gogh's death by suicide.
The Red Vineyard is among van Gogh's most dramatically coloured Provençal landscapes. The painting depicts a vineyard near Arles, which the artist had walked through with Paul Gauguin on 28 October 1888. Five days later, van Gogh painted the scene from memory and imagination at the Yellow House in Arles. Gauguin's influence is evident in the painting's creative and less literal interpretation of the landscape. The vines are depicted in fiery reds, much brighter than one would expect, with van Gogh himself describing the colour as similar to the plant Virginia Creeper. The composition includes what appears to be a river on the right, but is actually a wet road glistening in the light of the huge setting sun, which casts an eerie yellow hue over the sky. On the upper left is a row of trees sheltering a road running northeast from Arles, and on the horizon, one can make out the distant ruins of the abbey of Montmajour, painted in light blue.
The Red Vineyard has an unusual history. After completing the work, van Gogh sent it to his brother, Theo, in Paris in April 1889. Theo described it as "very beautiful" and hung it in his Parisian apartment. In January 1890, van Gogh was offered the opportunity to exhibit several paintings at an exhibition organised by the group Les Vingt in Brussels, and The Red Vineyard was among those he chose to display. It is believed that Anna Boch, the eventual buyer, was the sister of van Gogh's friend Eugène Boch. Today, the painting resides in the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, where it underwent conservation efforts to ensure its long-term preservation.
While there is debate about the exact number, it is clear that van Gogh sold very few paintings during his lifetime. His fame and recognition came posthumously, and today, he is regarded as one of history's greatest artists and a significant contributor to modern art.
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Van Gogh's works became famous after his death
It is believed that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime: The Red Vineyard, bought for 400 francs by the painter and art collector Anna Boch. Van Gogh's work was only beginning to gain critical attention before his death from a self-inflicted gunshot at the age of 37.
In the final two years of his life, Van Gogh had gained recognition among the avant-garde, and his work had been displayed in exhibitions in Paris and Brussels. After his death, his brother Theo wanted to raise the profile of his brother's work. Unfortunately, Theo passed away just six months later. His widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, sold some of Van Gogh's works, loaned others out for exhibitions, and published his letters to Theo. Van Gogh's fascinating life story is one of the reasons his work gradually took the world by storm.
Van Gogh's work and life story captured the public imagination as an emblem of misunderstood genius. His bold use of colour, expressive line, and thick application of paint inspired avant-garde artistic groups like the Fauves and German Expressionists in the early 20th century. Van Gogh's work gained widespread critical and commercial success in the following decades, and he has become a lasting icon of the romantic ideal of the tortured artist. Today, Van Gogh's works are among the world's most recognisable and most expensive paintings ever sold.
Van Gogh's paintings have sold for record-breaking sums at auctions around the world. In 1987, his painting Irises sold for a record US$53.9 million at Sotheby's. On May 15, 1990, his Portrait of Dr. Gachet was sold for US$82.5 million at Christie's, establishing a new price record until it was exceeded in 2004 by a Picasso painting. In 2015, L'Allée des Alyscamps sold for $66.3 million at Sotheby's, New York, exceeding its reserve of $40 million.
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Van Gogh's paintings have been sold at Christie's and Sotheby's
Vincent van Gogh is known for only having sold one painting during his lifetime: The Red Vineyard (or Red Vineyards Near Arles), 1888. The painting was bought for 400 francs and now resides in Moscow. However, in the years following his death, van Gogh's work has become extremely sought-after.
Van Gogh's paintings rarely come to auction, but when they do, they achieve historic prices. For example, in 1987, a still life of sunflowers sold for £23 million at Christie's London, three times more than any artwork had previously fetched at auction. In 1990, Portrait of Dr Paul Gachet sold for $83 million at Christie's New York, setting a world record price. In 2021, Sotheby's Hong Kong sold Van Gogh's Still Life: Vase With Gladioli (1886) for $9.11 million, setting a regional record for the artist.
Van Gogh's paintings continue to set records at auction. In 2022, Orchard with Cypresses sold for $117.2 million at Christie's New York, and in 2021, Cabanes de bois parmi les oliviers et cyprès (1889) sold for $71 million at the same auction house. In 2024, a Van Gogh painting, Les canots amarrés (1887), was expected to sell for $50 million at Christie's Hong Kong.
Van Gogh's work has become some of the most recognisable and expensive artwork in the world. His paintings, including his numerous self-portraits, landscapes, portraits, and sunflowers, are exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide, including the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
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Frequently asked questions
It is believed that Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime, "The Red Vineyard", which was bought by Anna Boch. However, there is some debate surrounding this, as there is evidence that other paintings may have been sold or bartered during his lifetime.
Many of Van Gogh's paintings have been sold since his death, with his works becoming some of the world's most expensive paintings. Notable sales include "Irises", which sold for US$53.9 million in 1987, and "Portrait of Dr. Gachet", which sold for US$82.5 million in 1990.
During his lifetime, Van Gogh created approximately 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, with most of these being produced in the last two years of his life.
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam holds the world's largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings. Other notable collections can be found at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo and the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.
