Marcus Chen
It is widely believed that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime, with the rest of his work becoming famous after his death. This painting, titled 'The Red Vineyard', was sold to Anna Boch, a Belgian painter, for 400 francs (then £16) in 1890. However, this long-held belief has been challenged by some, who argue that van Gogh sold at least two paintings and several drawings during his lifetime.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Painting | The Red Vineyard at Arles (The Vigne Rouge) |
| Buyer | Anna Boch |
| Price | 350 or 400 francs |
| Year of Purchase | 1890 |
| Current Owner | Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow |
| Year Vincent van Gogh painted the artwork | November 1888 |
| Other paintings sold | There is evidence of one other work sold before his death, but its identity and whereabouts are unknown. |
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What You'll Learn
The Red Vineyard is the only widely known sale
It is widely believed that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. The Red Vineyard at Arles (The Vigne Rouge) is the only painting sold during van Gogh's lifetime that we know of, that was "officially" recorded and acknowledged by the art world.
The Red Vineyard was bought by Anna Boch, a Belgian avant-garde painter, for 400 francs (then £16) in 1890. It was exhibited in Brussels four months before van Gogh's death. Anna Boch was a friend of van Gogh and bought the painting to support him. She sold the painting in 1906 for 10,000 francs, and it was sold again that same year to a Russian textile businessman, Sergei Shchukin. It was given to the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, Russia, in 1948, where it remains.
While The Red Vineyard is the only widely known sale, there is evidence of other works that may have been sold before his death. Van Gogh's uncle, an art dealer, ordered 19 cityscapes of The Hague. There is also a letter from van Gogh's brother, Theo, to London dealers Sulley & Lori, mentioning a self-portrait by the artist that they had bought. However, it is unknown whether this was a painting or a drawing.
Van Gogh's commercial success began in 1895, when the Parisian dealer Ambroise Vollard recognised his importance and started to stage a series of exhibitions, selling around 30 paintings over the next five years. Now, van Gogh is one of the world's best-selling artists, with 11 of his paintings selling for more than $40 million in recent years.
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Anna Boch bought it to support Van Gogh
Anna Boch was a Belgian painter, art collector, and the only female member of the artistic group, Les XX. She was also a friend and admirer of Vincent van Gogh.
Anna Boch bought Van Gogh's painting, "The Red Vineyard", also known as "La Vigne Rouge" or "The Vigne Rouge", for 400 Francs (1600 dollars in today's value). This purchase is believed to be the only sale of a Van Gogh painting during his lifetime. Anna Boch's support for Van Gogh extended beyond this purchase, as she also owned another one of his paintings, "The Red Wine at Montmajour", acquired after his death. She promoted many young artists, including Van Gogh, and assembled a significant collection of Post-Impressionist paintings, which included works by Paul Gauguin, Paul Signac, James Ensor, and Vincent van Gogh.
The act of buying "The Red Vineyard" by Anna Boch is significant because it brought her into the history books. She was the first person to buy a Van Gogh painting, recognising his talent years ahead of his time. This purchase has also been officially recorded and acknowledged by the art world, contributing to the lore surrounding Van Gogh's sole known sale during his lifetime.
While the widely known belief is that Van Gogh sold only one painting, "The Red Vineyard", during his lifetime, this notion has been challenged. Some sources suggest that he traded paintings for food and that his family collected his artworks as future investments. Additionally, there are speculations about other paintings that may have been sold or bartered, indicating that Van Gogh's financial transactions involving his artwork were potentially more diverse than commonly thought.
Anna Boch's support for Van Gogh is evident not only through her purchase of "The Red Vineyard" but also through her overall appreciation for his talent. She promoted him to others and included him in her social and artistic circles. By acquiring his paintings and believing in his artistic value, she provided Van Gogh with financial support and a sense of validation for his work.
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Van Gogh traded paintings for food
It is widely believed that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime: "The Red Vineyard" (("The Vigne Rouge"), which was bought by Anna Boch. However, this belief has been challenged by some, who argue that van Gogh sold more than one painting and that "The Red Vineyard" is simply the only widely known sale. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that van Gogh traded paintings for food and that his family collected his artwork as investments for the future. Furthermore, art historian and van Gogh expert Marc Edo Tralbaut has published a letter from van Gogh's brother, Theo, to London dealers Sulley & Lori, mentioning a self-portrait by the artist that they had bought.
While it is true that van Gogh's commercial success came posthumously, with sales beginning slowly a year after his suicide in 1890, there is reason to believe that he did, in fact, sell or barter a number of paintings during his lifetime. For example, his first commission came from his uncle Cor, who was an art dealer. Wanting to support his nephew's career, Uncle Cor ordered 19 cityscapes of The Hague. Additionally, in a letter to his brother Theo, van Gogh mentions that Boch had paid the sticker price for "The Red Vineyard" when she should have gotten a "friend's price." This suggests that van Gogh was actively involved in the sale of his artwork and was concerned with receiving fair compensation.
Despite these challenges to the prevailing narrative, it is true that van Gogh struggled to find success during his lifetime and that his fame and fortune came primarily after his death. Van Gogh's work is now celebrated worldwide, and he is considered one of the best-selling artists of all time, with his paintings fetching prices of over $40 million.
In conclusion, while the belief that van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime persists, there is evidence to suggest that he traded paintings for food and that he did, in fact, sell or barter a number of paintings, including "The Red Vineyard," which remains the only widely known sale.
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The Red Vineyard was sold again in 1906
It is widely believed that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. This painting is "The Red Vineyard", also known as "The Vigne Rouge" or "The Red Vineyard at Arles". However, there is evidence to suggest that van Gogh sold more than one painting during his lifetime.
"The Red Vineyard" was bought by Anna Boch, a fellow painter and friend of van Gogh's. She bought it to support van Gogh financially. The painting was sold in 1888 for 10,000 francs and then sold again in the same year to a Russian textile businessman named Sergei Shchukin. The painting is currently located at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.
The myth of "The Red Vineyard" being the only painting sold by van Gogh during his lifetime has been challenged by leading van Gogh scholar, Marc Edo Tralbaut. Tralbaut deduced that Theo, van Gogh's brother, sold a self-portrait by Vincent over a year before the sale of "The Red Vineyard". This was uncovered through a letter dated October 3, 1888, in which Theo wrote to London art dealers, Sulley and Lori, informing them that they had sent the two pictures that they had bought: a landscape by Camille Corot and a self-portrait by V. van Gogh.
While "The Red Vineyard" is the only widely known sale, it is believed that van Gogh traded other paintings for food, and his family also collected his artwork as investments for the future. Additionally, van Gogh received his first commission from his uncle Cor, who was an art dealer. His uncle ordered 19 cityscapes of The Hague to support his nephew's career.
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Van Gogh's commercial success began in 1895
It is widely believed that Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime: The Red Vineyard at Arles (The Vigne Rouge). The lore surrounding van Gogh's lack of commercial success during his lifetime is a key element of the artist's legend. However, this notion has been challenged by some art experts and scholars. While it is true that van Gogh struggled to sell his work, records indicate that he sold more than one painting.
Van Gogh's first commission came from his uncle Cor, an art dealer who ordered 19 cityscapes of The Hague. The artist also traded paintings for food, and his family collected his artworks as investments for the future. In addition, there is evidence of a letter from van Gogh's brother, Theo, to London dealers Sulley & Lori, mentioning a self-portrait by the artist that they had bought. However, it is unclear if this was a painting or a drawing.
Despite these early sales, van Gogh's commercial success did not take off until 1895, five years after his death. This turning point in the artist's posthumous career was marked by the efforts of the Parisian dealer Ambroise Vollard, who recognised van Gogh's importance and began staging exhibitions of his work. Over the next five years, Vollard sold around 30 paintings, introducing the world to van Gogh's genius.
Today, van Gogh is recognised as one of the world's best-selling artists, with 11 of his paintings selling for more than $40 million each in recent years. The Red Vineyard, the only painting known to have been sold by van Gogh himself, debuted in 1890 at an exhibition staged by the Belgian artist group Les XX (The 20). It was purchased by Belgian painter Anna Boch, a member of the group, for 350 or 400 francs. The painting later made its way to a Paris art gallery, where it was purchased by Russian collector Ivan Morozov. Following the Bolshevik Revolution, the painting was nationalised and eventually found its home at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.
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Frequently asked questions
The Red Vineyard is the only widely known painting that Vincent Van Gogh sold during his lifetime. It was bought by Anna Boch, a Belgian painter, for 400 francs.
While The Red Vineyard is the only painting confirmed to have been sold by Van Gogh, there is evidence of other sales, including a self-portrait, and some drawings. It is also likely that Van Gogh's uncle and brother, who were both art dealers, exhibited and purchased his work.
Van Gogh's paintings began to be sold a year after his suicide, and his eventual commercial success came in 1895 when the Parisian dealer Ambroise Vollard started to stage exhibitions. Now, Van Gogh is one of the world's best-selling artists, with 11 of his paintings selling for more than $40 million each in recent years.
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