This $50 Yard Sale Finds Is Actually a Lost Van Gogh Worth Millions – See How It Was Discovered!
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Imagine rummaging through a yard sale, picking up a painting for a mere $50, only to discover it's a long-lost masterpiece by one of the most famous artists in history. This is not the plot of a Hollywood movie but the real-life story of an unsuspecting antique dealer from Minnesota who stumbled upon what experts now believe to be a $15 million Van Gogh painting.
The painting, which depicts a fisherman smoking his pipe while mending his net on a deserted beach, may seem unassuming at first glance. However, the keen eye of the dealer, who found the piece in a bin filled with other paintings back in 2019, noticed something familiar in the brushstrokes that echoed the style of the renowned Dutch master Vincent Van Gogh.
The dealer's instincts were spot on, and after selling the work to LMI Group International, a painstaking and costly process began to authenticate the painting. The group invested a whopping $300,000 and enlisted the expertise of around 30 specialists in their quest to prove the painting's legitimacy.
One of the most intriguing clues was a reddish hair found embedded in the paint, reminiscent of Van Gogh's own russet locks. Additionally, the signature 'Elimar' inscribed at the bottom of the painting piqued the experts' interest. This moniker had been used in another verified Van Gogh painting, and experts from the digital agency Odd Common noted the script's similarity.
The lack of Van Gogh's own name on the painting did not deter the experts, as it is widely accepted among scholars that the artist often did not sign his works. The investigation led by Maxwell Anderson, the former Met curator, and LMI's lawyer Lawrence Shindel, suggested that the painting could be part of a series created by Van Gogh while he was a patient at a psychiatric hospital in the south of France. Van Gogh referred to these works as 'translations' in letters to his brother Theo, often drawing inspiration from other artists' pieces.
A similar painting by Danish artist Michael Ancher, titled 'Portrait of Niels Gaihede,' which also features a fisherman in a comparable pose, further supported the theory that Van Gogh may have been emulating the works of others in his unique style during this period. This could explain the more subdued colour palette of the newly discovered painting, which differs from Van Gogh's typically vibrant hues.
The journey to authenticate the painting has been arduous, with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which receives around 40 potentially credible submissions each year, yet to be convinced. However, the experts made significant progress with the help of Jennifer Mass, president of Scientific Analysis of Fine Art. Mass's analysis of the pigment and composition of the canvas indicated that the thread count matched those produced during Van Gogh's era.
A breakthrough came when Ben Appleton, a patent lawyer, discovered a French patent from 1883 for a colour used in the painting, which had previously been thought not to exist until the 1900s. This patent, filed by the Colored Materials and Chemical Products of Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, was particularly relevant since Van Gogh's brother, who lived in Paris, supplied him with paints.
This remarkable discovery not only aids in dating the painting but also helps to more accurately date other artworks using the same pigment. The findings will be presented at a private event for Van Gogh experts, with the ultimate goal of obtaining verification from a scholar at the Van Gogh Museum.
Vincent Van Gogh, born in 1853 in Zundert, Netherlands, struggled with mental health issues throughout his life and tragically took his own life at the age of 37 in 1890. Despite only achieving success in the final year of his life, his posthumous fame has skyrocketed, with works like 'Sunflowers' and 'The Starry Night' becoming iconic.
The discovery of this potential Van Gogh masterpiece is not the first instance of valuable art being found in modest settings. From a 2,000-year-old Mayan vase in a Washington DC thrift store to a priceless Roman bust in a Texas Goodwill, treasures can indeed be found in the most unexpected places.
Credit: YouTube
For our readers over 60, this story is a reminder that the thrill of the hunt at yard sales and thrift stores can sometimes lead to extraordinary finds. Who knows, the next hidden gem could be waiting for you to uncover it. Have you ever found a treasure among the trinkets? Share your stories with us in the comments below!
The painting, which depicts a fisherman smoking his pipe while mending his net on a deserted beach, may seem unassuming at first glance. However, the keen eye of the dealer, who found the piece in a bin filled with other paintings back in 2019, noticed something familiar in the brushstrokes that echoed the style of the renowned Dutch master Vincent Van Gogh.
A painting bought at a Minnesota yard sale for under $50 is considered an undiscovered Van Gogh masterpiece, potentially worth $15 million. Credit: YouTube
The dealer's instincts were spot on, and after selling the work to LMI Group International, a painstaking and costly process began to authenticate the painting. The group invested a whopping $300,000 and enlisted the expertise of around 30 specialists in their quest to prove the painting's legitimacy.
One of the most intriguing clues was a reddish hair found embedded in the paint, reminiscent of Van Gogh's own russet locks. Additionally, the signature 'Elimar' inscribed at the bottom of the painting piqued the experts' interest. This moniker had been used in another verified Van Gogh painting, and experts from the digital agency Odd Common noted the script's similarity.
The lack of Van Gogh's own name on the painting did not deter the experts, as it is widely accepted among scholars that the artist often did not sign his works. The investigation led by Maxwell Anderson, the former Met curator, and LMI's lawyer Lawrence Shindel, suggested that the painting could be part of a series created by Van Gogh while he was a patient at a psychiatric hospital in the south of France. Van Gogh referred to these works as 'translations' in letters to his brother Theo, often drawing inspiration from other artists' pieces.
A similar painting by Danish artist Michael Ancher, titled 'Portrait of Niels Gaihede,' which also features a fisherman in a comparable pose, further supported the theory that Van Gogh may have been emulating the works of others in his unique style during this period. This could explain the more subdued colour palette of the newly discovered painting, which differs from Van Gogh's typically vibrant hues.
The journey to authenticate the painting has been arduous, with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which receives around 40 potentially credible submissions each year, yet to be convinced. However, the experts made significant progress with the help of Jennifer Mass, president of Scientific Analysis of Fine Art. Mass's analysis of the pigment and composition of the canvas indicated that the thread count matched those produced during Van Gogh's era.
A breakthrough came when Ben Appleton, a patent lawyer, discovered a French patent from 1883 for a colour used in the painting, which had previously been thought not to exist until the 1900s. This patent, filed by the Colored Materials and Chemical Products of Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, was particularly relevant since Van Gogh's brother, who lived in Paris, supplied him with paints.
This remarkable discovery not only aids in dating the painting but also helps to more accurately date other artworks using the same pigment. The findings will be presented at a private event for Van Gogh experts, with the ultimate goal of obtaining verification from a scholar at the Van Gogh Museum.
Vincent Van Gogh, born in 1853 in Zundert, Netherlands, struggled with mental health issues throughout his life and tragically took his own life at the age of 37 in 1890. Despite only achieving success in the final year of his life, his posthumous fame has skyrocketed, with works like 'Sunflowers' and 'The Starry Night' becoming iconic.
The discovery of this potential Van Gogh masterpiece is not the first instance of valuable art being found in modest settings. From a 2,000-year-old Mayan vase in a Washington DC thrift store to a priceless Roman bust in a Texas Goodwill, treasures can indeed be found in the most unexpected places.
Credit: YouTube
