Most Expensive Van Gogh Painting

How Many Paintings Did Van Gogh Sell In His Lifetime

It is very difficult to know how many paintings Vincent Van Gogh sold when he was alive. Van Gogh frequently traded paintings for board and food. Conflicting reports put paintings sold from anywhere from one to hundreds.

It is rumored he only sold one painting The Reed Vineyard in his lifetime. Though, but reports show he also had several commissions.

He favored portraits, self-portraits, and landscapes, with fields a particular favorite.

His first commission was from his Uncle Cor, who was an art dealer. Wanting to help his nephew out, he ordered a series of 19 cityscapes of The Hague. He also had an art dealer who purchased his works.

What Was The Relationship Between Gauguin And Van Gogh

Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh first crossed paths in 1887 in Paris. Van Gogh was a fan of Gauguins work and considered him to be a potential mentor. Van Gogh sent multiple invitations to Gauguin and after being convinced by Theo , Gauguin joined Van Gogh in Arles where their friendship experienced ups and downs. It has been said that Gauguin leaving Arles was a major contributing factor to the so-called last straw leading up to Van Gogh cutting off his own ear.

What Is Van Goghs Most Expensive Painting

At this time, the most expensive Van Gogh painting is the masterpiece Starry Night over the Rhone. It is currently valued between $200-300 million if the painting is sold today. This invaluable painting is currently displayed at Musee dOrsay in Paris, France, since 1975.

Most of his paintings were sold at auction during the 1980s and 1990s. His artwork is often featured at such auctions as Christies New York, where collectors spend millions of dollars on adding the artwork to their collections.

Below is the money they were sold for and what it would be if they were sold in 2014, the year this article about Van Goghs most valuable paintings was written.

1. Portrait of Dr. Gachet

This painting of his friend Dr. Paul Gachet was sold at auction in Christies in 1990 for a price tag of $75 million, but there are reports that it sold for $86 million to Ryoei Saito in Japan.

The adjusted price is $152 million. At the time of the sale, it set the record price for the most expensive painting sold. Today it is the seventh most expensive painting in the world.

2. Portrait of Joseph Roulin

This picture was sold in 1989 by a private collector for $58 million, including the exchange of some other works. Today the adjusted price would be $113 million.

3. Irises

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Vase With Fifteen Sunflowers

Price :

photo source: Flickr

There are two famous paintings of sunflowers by Van Gogh done in 1889. One of these, known as Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers, sold at Christies London in 1987 for $81.3 million, the equivalent today of $94.6 million. At the time of its sale, this was the most expensive painting ever sold.

His earlier sunflower paintings, done in 1887, show flowers on the ground. The next ones are upright in a vase and dedicated to Gauguin, Van Goghs friend and rival. He painted them to decorate the guestroom of the house in Arles that he was staying in at the time, where Gauguin was scheduled to stay as well.

This is why the sunflower paintings are known as part of the series, Decoration for the Yellow House.

The Most Expensive Artworks Sold In 2021

After the COVID-sparked chaos of 2020, there was reason for hope heading into 2021. In-person events seemed poised to return, a possibility that would kickstart an art world that had scrambled to find replacements for the experience of viewing art in person. The year ended up being an experience in compromises, incorporating both COVID-necessitated distance and bouts of proximity when possible, but the secondary market seemed unequivocally healthier in comparison to the prior year. Lots once again rose above the $100 million mark after failing to do so in 2020 for the first time in years, and new entrants in the realm of crypto-backed NFTs signaled hope for the future.

The most expensive artworks sold at auction in 2021 may be mostly dominated by familiar facesmale artists from the 19th and 20th centuriesbut that may be a signal that we are coming back to business as usual, for better or worse.

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How Many Paintings Did Van Gogh Paint During His Life

No one knows the exact count of how many paintings he did. In the late 1880s, while studying painting and color theory at the Antwerpen School of Arts, his sister and mother moved away, leaving behind almost all of his works. Seventy of these works were bought by a junk dealer, some being burned. There was no figure on just how many he had left behind.

During his two years in Paris, Van Gogh created around 200 oil paintings. Around 1888, he spent a year in a state asylum trying to kill his best friend, Paul Gauguin. During this time, he made several paintings of irises, as well as two of his best-known works, Vincents Bedroom and Starry Night.

In 1890, after being released from the state mental hospital, in a span of two months, he painted 90 works. Soon after this marathon of painting, he died after committing suicide. In total, it is estimated that Van Gogh painted over 350 paintings, while others figure it is closer to 900.

Many of his paintings have been destroyed by floods, fires, and other natural disasters, especially during World War 1 and World War 2. Van Gogh also moved around a lot, so he may or may not have left paintings behind during his travels.

Paysage Sous Un Ciel Mouvemente

The dramatic and atmospheric Paysage sous un ciel mouvemente painting conveys the restless feeling of anticipation. The dark cloud is disturbing the colorful landscape as field workers hurry to finish their harvest before the upcoming storm. Thick layers of strong, vibrant colors dominate the painting that presents one of the finest examples of artists Arles period.

Paysage sous un ciel mouvemente was sold for $48 million at Sotheby’s in New York in 2015. For more information about the artwork visit this link.

Featured image: Van Gogh – Paysage sous un ciel mouvemente, via Sotheby’s

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Vue De Lasile Et De La Chapelle Saint

Created in mid-October 1889, Vue De Lasile Et De La Chapelle Saint-Paul De Mausole depicts the Twelfth-Century Romanesque tower and chapel at the entrance to the former Augustinian monastery of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The edifice was converted into a private asylum for the mentally ill, where the artist had been a patient in voluntary confinement since early May, due to his fits of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Van Gogh painted the work en plein air while an asylum attendant kept an eye on him. It is the only painting from the period which shows the buildings of Saint-Paul from the outside looking in.

The work was sold on May 15th, 2018 at Christie’s New York during their Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale for $35,000,000.

More data about the work here.

Portrait Of Dr Gachet

Price :

photo source: Flickr

The most expensive Van Gogh painting is Portrait of Dr. Gachet. He was a homeopathic doctor who shared residency in the Saint-Remy-de-Provence asylum with Van Gogh. He was Van Goghs doctor in the painters final years, painted into this now-infamous work in 1890, the last year of Van Goghs life.

There are several versions of this painting. The first is the most expensive, which sold for $82.5 million to Ryoei Saito in 1990, which is $171.1 million in 2022 money. It is not only the most expensive Van Gogh painting but one of the 20 most expensive paintings ever.

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Portrait De Iartiste Sans Barbe

Self Portrait without beard

The Deal: Sold on November 19, 1998 by Heirs of Jacques Koefer to unkonwn entity for $71.5 million at Christis, New York

For: $71.5 million

Adjusted Price: $103.8 million

Self-portrait depicts the artist with clean-shaved face. Allegedly, his most famous self-portrait. It was the third costliest painting at the time of sale.

The Deal: Sold in May, 1993 by son of Emil Georg Buhrle to Walter H. Annenberg at a Private Sale

For: $57 million

Adjusted Price: $94.1 million

One of the famous works by the artist. It is a scene from the back windows of his room of the hospital at Arles.

The Deal: Sold on 30, 1987 by daughter-in-law of Chester Beatty to Yasuo Goto, Yasuda Group at Christies, London.

For: $39.7 million

Adjusted Price: $84.2 million

Another record breaker price at the time of the sale. Most expensive painting in his Sunflowers Series. He intended to decorate his house with these paintings before his dear friend Paul Gauguin was about to come at his house.

Art Market Sales And Trends

According to the annual report of Artprice, the contemporary art market has recently marked a record-breaking $2.7 billion in sales between June 2020 and June 2021. After the dramatic shrinking in sales during the first half of 2020 due to Covid 19, the contemporary art market re-emerged stronger than ever. The pandemic era greatly facilitated not only the transition of a large part of the art sales to online auctions, giving an increase importance to purchases on online platforms, but also a shift in the kinds and formats of artworks buyers are willing to purchase. 2021 was the year of the explosion in popularity of NFTs : NFTs accounted for one-third of all online sales and over two percent of the overall art market. The second most expensive contemporary artwork sold this year is Beeples NFT: Everydays: The First 5,000 Days Beeple that fetched $69.3 million. It was the first NFT ever sold at Christies. The event was a landmark: 22 million people, 60% of them under 40, logged in to witness the first public sale of an NFT. The young age of the people involved in the event reflects a broader trend: more and more young collectors are shaping the art market.

The highest-selling contemporary artist of 2021 is Jean-Michel Basquiat, while at the third place we find the US-based Chinese artist Chen Danqing. His painting Shepherds broke a record for Chinese art, selling for $25.2 million at Poly Beijing Spring Auctions in June.

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Irises : $1112 Million

This Japanese woodblock print-inspired artwork by Van Gogh is one of the top most expensive Van Gogh paintings due to its colorful depiction of irises and bold lines for added definition. The painting was made a year before the artists death and initially fetched $53.9 million from a Sothebys auction in 1987.

The last resting place of the painting settled in 1990 with the J. Paul Getty Museum, with its inflation-informed price ranking the painting 31st among the updated list of the most expensive paintings sold.

Irises by Vincent van Gogh Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Portrait Of Joseph Roulin By Vincent Van Gogh Price: $58 Million

The Portrait of Joseph Roulin is one of many paintings the artist made for the subject and his family. Vincent was known for his paintings of landscapes, but he was passionate about painting portraits. He shared his passion with others of his time who passed the stories about his true passions down through the ages. Joseph Roulin lived in Arles, where he was a postman to earn his living. The painting had been owned by an anonymous private collector in Zurich, Switzerland. The deal to sell the painting was completed in a private sale, to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, on August 1, 1989.

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Who Owns The Most Van Gogh Paintings

Thanks to Kröller-Müller’s avid collecting of the artist’s work, the Kröller-Müller Museum is home to the second-largest collection of Van Gogh artworks in the world behind only the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Between 1908 and 1929, Helene and Anton acquired 91 of his paintings and 180 works on paper.

Poppies And Daisies $62m 2014

Van Goghs Poppies and Daisies , sold for $62m at Sothebys, New York, 4 November 2014

Poppies and Daisiesis a dramatic and colourful still life, completed just a few weeks before the artists death in Auvers-sur-Oise. It sold for $62m, going to the Chinese entertainment company owner Wang Zhongjun.

Wang is also an amateur artist who enjoys painting flower still lifes. After the auction he commented that the final sum was slightly lower than I expected. Wangs purchase is an indication of how the Van Gogh market has shifted dramatically in the past few yearsfrom North America and Europe to East Asia .

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Peasant Woman Against A Background Of Wheat : $704 Million

Captured only a few weeks prior to the talented artist ending his life, Peasant Woman Against a Background of Wheat is one of the very last paintings made by Van Gogh and can be considered as one of the rare Van Gogh paintings. The painting sold for $47.5 million in 1997 on a private sale and was resold in 2005 for over $100 million.

The manner of painting is likened to that of a three-dimensional quality, especially on the face of the peasant woman.

The thick, impasto application of paint on her face adds to this quality and brings to life her bodily vessel, as shown by her blue dress with red dots. Skillfully bringing his subject to the forefront in this manner, Van Gogh, in his last days, displayed his mastery over oil painting, specific to his experience and with utmost integrity towards his passion for Impressionism.

Peasant Woman Against a Background of Wheat by Vincent van Gogh Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Vase With Fifteen Sunflowers By Vincent Van Gogh

The Deal: Sold on March 30, 1987, by the girl in-law of Chester Beatty to Yasuo Goto, Yasuda Group at Christie’s, London. For: $39.7 million. Balanced Price: $84.2 million. Another record-breaker cost at the hour of the deal.

The most costly painting in his Sunflowers Series. He planned to finish his home with these paintings before his dear companion Paul Gauguin came to visit him. Sunflowers series were painted in Paris and Arles.

The series features van Gogh’s movement in shading and style. It likewise gives some fascinating connections between van Gogh and another celebrated artist, Paul Gauguin.

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Starry Night Over The Rhne

Just one year before completing The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh created another work that is regarded as one of his master pieces.

According to art historians, this painting is another masterful Post-Impressionist creation by van Gogh that was completed at a time when he was less affected by his mental illness.

This 1888 painting, titled Starry Night Over the Rhône, depicts the wonder of the night sky as well as the beauty of the towns reflection in the water below. The Rhône being one of Frances most well-known rivers.

Van Gogh observed that the light from the constellation Ursa Major was paler in comparison to the yellowish glow produced by the gas-lit lamps along the citys outskirts.

Though not as well-known as the Starry Night, this work remains an essential part of his portfolio, demonstrating his particular approach to painting nighttime landscapes in his own style.

Nature Morte Vase Aux Marguerites Et Coquelicots

The painting of a richly-colored bouquet of flowers was created mid-June 1890 at the very peak of Van Gogh’s career. The masterpiece was painted at doctor Gachet’s house and it was possibly traded in exchange for medical treatment.

The artwork depicting a bundle of poppies, daisies, and cornflowers was sold in 2014 at Sotheby’s New York ago for the tremendous sum of $55 million. For more information about this painting,

Featured image: Van Gogh – Nature Morte, Vase Aux Marguerites Et Coquelicots, via sothebys.com

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Most Expensive Van Gogh Painting

Ever seen the 2017 biographical movie Loving Vincent and immediately regained your appreciation for the artist Vincent van Gogh? Given the artists immense contribution to art history and Impressionism, this article will give you a run-down of some of the artists most expensive paintings.

Lallee Des Alyscamps : $66 Million

Produced as part of a pair, LAllee Des Alyscamps vibrancy caught the attention of a private buyer in 2015 and was sold for $66 million. Considering the bidding value climbed significantly since its last auction valuation in 1998, we can only conclude that the value has increased.

The painting was created during a time when Van Goghs art companion, Paul Gauguin, visited him in Arles in October of 1888.

The scenery showcased is of the well-known lovers lane of France, where couples were seen frequently taking romantic evening strolls. The duo painted alongside each other and even compared paintings on the topic, with Gauguins version titled, Alyscamps and Van Goghs, Les Alyscamps.

LAllee Des Alyscamps by Vincent van Gogh Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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