You don’t often stumble upon an original Vincent van Gogh painting — even if you’re ready to shell out $100 million to buy one.
Most of his artworks are sold in private for record-breaking amounts, and just a few of them are seen at auction events.
His most expensive artwork, Orchard with Cypresses, sold for $117.2 million at Christie’s New York in 2022. Before the sale, it belonged to the late Paul G. Allen.
A Van Gogh painting typically comes alive with deep symbolism, unique painting techniques and a great sense of color.
Let’s look at Vincent van Gogh’s 11 most expensive paintings. We’ll look deeper into his life and work and also show you a few famous paintings by other master artists.
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1. Orchard with Cypresses (1888)
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Original name in French: Verger avec cyprès (1888)
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Price and year of sale: $117.2 million, 2022
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Seller: Paul G. Allen Estate
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Buyer: Anonymous
The most expensive Van Gogh painting ever to go on sale, Orchard with Cypresses was painted in Arles in 1988.
The late Paul Allen acquired the painting in 1998, and it remained in his collection for over 24 years. The painting is vibrant, with shades of green, blue and red, showcasing a fenced orchard with cypress trees in the background.
Orchard with Cypresses will be a centerpiece at the Van Gogh Cypresses exhibition to be held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from May-August 2023.
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2. Portrait of Dr Paul Gachet
Docteur Gachet (1890) by Vincent van Gogh
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Original name in French: Portrait du Docteur Gachet (1890)
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Price and year of sale: $82.5 million, 1990
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Seller: Siegfried Kramarsky heirs
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Buyer: Ryoei Saito
The Portrait of Dr Paul Gachet is the second most expensive Vincent van Gogh artwork ever sold.
Doctor Gachet became close friends with Van Gogh, as he treated the artist in the last few months of his life.
The melancholic portrait depicts Dr Gachet with his head propped on his hand and his elbow resting on a red table, next to two yellow books and a foxglove plant.
The painting was sold at an auction at Christie’s, New York City, to Ryoei Saito.
It’s rumored that after Ryoei Saito passed away in 1996, this expensive Van Gogh painting exchanged hands twice in private sales.
Fun fact: Van Gogh created two versions of the Doctor Gachet painting. The second edition is displayed at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
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3. Laborer in a Field
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Original name in French: Laboureur Dans Un Champ (1889)
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Price and year of sale: $81.3 million, 2017
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Seller: Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass estate
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Buyer: Anonymous
Laborer in a Field was part of a series of paintings Vincent van Gogh created at the asylum near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It was sold at an auction at Christie’s, New York City.
The inspiration for this artwork was the view from Van Gogh’s room.
This expensive painting depicts a worker plowing the soil in the wheat fields near the asylum. Painted with short blue and yellow strokes, the field has a seascape-like nature, creating a sense of movement.
The painting is one of the last works of Vincent van Gogh.
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4. Self-portrait Without a Beard
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Original name in French: Portrait de l’artiste Sans Barbe (1889)
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Price and year of sale: $72 million, 1998
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Seller: Jacques Koerfer’s heirs
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Buyer: Anonymous
Vincent van Gogh’s self-portraits are rare and highly valued by art collectors.
Historians believe that the unique Self-portrait Without a Beard is his final self-portrait.
Vincent van Gogh painted it shortly after mutilating his ear, which was triggered by a fall-out with fellow artist Paul Gauguin.
The painting conveys the artist’s mental state — his expression is one of sadness, helplessness and vulnerability, emphasized by his beardless, boyish face.
Van Gogh gifted the painting to his mother on her 70th birthday.
This expensive Van Gogh painting has been in a private European collection since its sale over 24 years ago at Christie’s New York City.
You can find other versions of Van Gogh’s self-portraits at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
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5. Wooden Cabins among the Olive Trees and Cypresses
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Original name in French: Cabanes de bois parmi les oliviers et cyprès (1889)
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Price and year of sale: $71.4 million, 2021
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Seller: Edwin L. Cox
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Buyer: Anonymous
This is one of Van Gogh’s most recent sales — it was sold at a Christie’s New York auction for $71m in November 2021 to an anonymous buyer.
The painting depicts the wooden cabins visible from Van Gogh’s room at the San Rémy asylum. The exuberant colors Van Gogh uses to depict the turquoise sky and sunlit landscape convey a sense of optimism.
This artwork is part of a painting series on olive trees that aim to depict the cycle of life.
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6. The Avenue of Les Alyscamps
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Original name in French: L’Allée des Alyscamps (1888)
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Price and year of sale: $66.3 million, 2015
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Seller: Anonymous
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Buyer: Anonymous
Van Gogh completed this painting in 1888 after his friend and fellow painter, Paul Gauguin, arrived in Arles for a collaboration.
Gauguin also painted a version of this artwork, showcasing couples on evening strolls through Les Alyscamps (fondly known as the “lovers’ lane” during the fall season).
In 2003, this expensive painting sold at a Christie’s New York auction for $12m. But in 2015, a buyer at Sotheby’s New York paid over five times the previous sale amount.
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7. Poppies and Daisies
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Original name in French: Nature morte, Vase aux marguerites et coquelicots (1890)
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Price and year of sale: $61.7 million, 2014
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Seller: Anonymous
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Buyer: Wang Zhongjun
Created in June 1890, this expensive Van Gogh painting depicts a vibrant bouquet of poppies, daisies and cornflowers.
It’s full of emotion, emitting a visually transcendent experience. Vincent van Gogh painted Poppies and Daisies during the pinnacle of his career and just a few weeks before his tragic death.
Modern art historians think Van Gogh painted this at the house of Dr Gachet in exchange for the treatment he received.
This painting sold for $62m at an auction at Sotheby’s New York.
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8. Portrait of Joseph Roulin
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Original name in French: Portrait de Joseph Roulin (1889)
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Price and year of sale: $58 million and other works, 1989
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Seller: Private collection, Zürich
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Buyer: The Museum of Modern Art
Joseph Roulin, a postman in Arles, was a very close companion of Van Gogh — and this portrait is a testament to their friendship. It shows Roulin in his blue postman uniform against a green floral background.
Vincent van Gogh is best known for his passion for portraits as well as his unique landscapes.
This Van Gogh portrait was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York through a private sale. The museum paid $58m and even traded the following artworks to obtain Joseph Roulin’s portrait:
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Corona (Water Lilies) by Claude Monet (1920)
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Reclining Nude by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1902)
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Autumn Landscape, Murnau by Wassily Kandinsky (1908)
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Striped Bodice by Pablo Picasso (1943)
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9. A Wheatfield with Cypresses
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Original name in French: Champ de blé avec cyprès (1889)
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Price and year of sale: $57 million, 1993
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Seller: Dieter Bührle
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Buyer: Metropolitan Museum of Art
A Wheatfield with Cypresses is one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings. The inspiration for the scene was the view from his room in Arles.
This expensive painting shows a field in front of the Alpilles mountain range, a golden wheat plantation and a few cypress and olive trees in the background.
Walter Annenberg donated this artwork to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Another version of this painting is housed at the National Gallery in London.
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10. Irises
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Original name in French: Les Iris (1889)
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Price and year of sale: $53.9 million, 1987
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Seller: John Whitney Payson
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Buyer: Alan Bond
Irises is considered the first painting created by Van Gogh while he was at the asylum. Art experts say Van Gogh developed an attraction to iris flowers due to their symbolism and healing properties.
Although the New York Times reported Alan Bond had purchased the painting, he had difficulties paying the agreed sum after the auction. So, Sotheby’s New York sold this expensive Van Gogh painting to the J. Paul Getty Museum for an amount close to the original auction price.
Another version of Irises is housed at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
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11. Sunflowers
This is the seventh version of the sunflowers series Van Gogh painted while he was at Arles.
Vincent van Gogh planned on decorating his house with these paintings before Paul Gauguin came to Arles on a visit. Experts estimate Sunflowers will fetch several hundred million dollars if it comes back on sale.
Want to appreciate Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in person?
Other versions of the painting are exhibited at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the National Gallery in London.
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A Deeper Look Into the Life & Works of Vincent Van Gogh
Now that we’ve looked at the 10 most expensive paintings of Van Gogh, let’s explore a few aspects of Van Gogh’s life and how they shaped his artwork.
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1. What Tools & Techniques Did Vincent Van Gogh Use in His Paintings?
Although Van Gogh used limited color in his paintings, he was able to convey the richness and intricacy of the landscapes, portraits, and nature mortes he painted.
In his early years, Van Gogh mostly drew with three colors of chalk — black, blue and red. He also used other tools like charcoal, pencils and reed pens.
Later in his career, he used vibrant colors and sharp details to bring to life what he saw in his daily routine. His choice of bold colors and signature brushstroke patterns still captivate art enthusiasts.
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2. How Many Paintings did Vincent Van Gogh Paint During his Life?
Some estimate the total number of Van Gogh paintings at about 350, while others say it’s about 900.
Most of his paintings were destroyed or misplaced due to the World Wars, fires, floods and other natural calamities.
His most known works were produced in the latter years of his life — there are estimates that over 100 paintings had been created from 1888-1890.
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3. When Did Vincent Van Gogh Start Painting?
Van Gogh started painting full-time in his late twenties — around 1881/1882. This is when he began showing serious interest in art.
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4. What Influenced the Art Style of Vincent Van Gogh?
The earliest influences on Van Gogh’s art style were his attraction toward spirituality and the ascetic way of life.
Later in his career, Vincent van Gogh adopted an Impressionist and Post-Impressionist style of art. This was fueled by his bouts of severe depression and attraction to natural landscapes and flora.
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15 Other Famous Artists and Some of Their Most Expensive Paintings
So far, we’ve covered only Van Gogh’s most expensive paintings in this article.
But are you keen to know about other great artists and their masterpieces?
Here are 15 famous paintings by some of the greatest artists in history:
This article originally appeared on MasterWorks.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: Wikipedia.
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