Several Van Goghs have been sold privately for prices in the same range as those that went to auction. Two other Van Goghs have since matched the Sunflowers 1987 price, also fetching $40m: L’Arlésienne, Madame Ginoux (February 1890) sold on and Trees in the Garden of the Asylum (October 1889) on (both at Christie’s, New York). If it ever came onto the market again, it would be worth several hundred million dollars. Sunflowers has proved to be an astonishing investment. The firm was later taken over by the company Sompo and the Van Gogh is now the star attraction at the Sompo Museum of Art. The buyer was the Tokyo-based Yasuda insurance company. It was also the first time the record price had been paid for a Modern picture, rather than an Old Master. When it came up at Christie’s, the £24m ($40m) paid was three times more than any artwork had ever fetched at auction (with inflation it would now be equivalent to just over $100m). This one is his own copy of the original version with a yellow background that is now at London’s National Gallery. It is one of seven still lifes of sunflowers that Van Gogh painted in Arles. Just scraping into the top ten, Sunflowers sold in 1987, when the boom in art prices was just beginning. Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (January 1889), sold for £24m ($40m) at Christie’s, London, 30 March 1987 After he faced financial problems the portrait changed hands again and is now owned by an extremely secretive European billionaire. Fortunately, this did not occur on his death in 1996, and instead the Van Gogh was sold privately to Wolfgang Flöttl, an Austrian investment manager. Portrait of Dr Paul Gachet was bought by the businessman Ryoei Saito, who later claimed that he wanted the painting to be cremated with his body. In 1990 it went to a Tokyo buyer-and at that time Japanese collectors were feverishly competing over the big names of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Dr Gachet was a key figure in Vincent’s life, caring for him after the artist shot himself in Auvers-sur-Oise, so the sitter adds greatly to the interest. So why did it make the record price? It is undoubtedly among Van Gogh’s finest portraits. With inflation, it would be equivalent to $180m today. At Christie’s it fetched $83m, then the highest auction price for a work by any artist. Portrait of Dr Paul Gachet still holds the record for the most expensive Van Gogh, although it sold as long ago as 1990. Through these masterpieces, we can see the artist’s mastery over color theory and form while offering a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people living at that time in Southern France.Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr Paul Gachet (June 1890), sold for $83m at Christie’s, New York, Courtesy of Städel Museum, Frankfurt In summary, Vincent van Gogh’s portraits of Joseph Roulin commemorate an important relationship that offered him companionship during difficult times while showcasing his admiration for Japanese artistry. The painting conveys both Van Gogh’s nostalgia for their lost friendship and his admiration for Roulin’s resilience amid economic hardship. For example, this particular portrait was created after Roulin left Arles for Marseilles when he secured a better-paying job. The artwork stands out due to its vibrant use of color and expressive brushwork that captures the emotion behind each portrait. Van Gogh painted over 20 portraits of Roulin and his family during their friendship, showcasing their difficult lives as working-class people. This influence is evident in some of the portraits where Van Gogh experimented with bold colors and stylized lines inspired by Japanese woodblock prints. The paintings also highlight Van Gogh’s strong connection to Japanese art, which he discovered through magazine illustrations. At least six portraits of Roulin were painted during this time period, showcasing Van Gogh’s love for capturing the character and soul of his subjects. Roulin became one of Van Gogh’s closest friends and favorite sitters. Vincent van Gogh’s friendship with Joseph Roulin, the postmaster in Arles, played a significant role in the artist’s life during his stay in Southern France.
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