bLavish

What Ever Happened to the Most Expensive Painting of 1990 – 2004?

March 8, 2006 | Posted by bLavish as Artsy Fartsy, The Reasons Why at 1:28 pm | Comments off

“I’ve done the portrait of M. Gachet with a melancholy expression, which might well seem like a grimace to those who see it. . . . Sad but gentle, yet clear and intelligent, that is how many portraits ought to be done. . . . There are modern heads that may be looked at for a long time, and that may perhaps be looked back on with longing a hundred years later.”  -Vincent Van Gogh, June 1890.

Before Sotheby’s sold Garcon a la Pipe by Pablo Picasso at auction from John Hay Whitney’s estate in 2004 for $104.1 million, the most expensive painting in the world was Vincent Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet which sold for $82.5 million at Christie’s in 1990.  The history of the painting is a bit queer and worth looking into. 

Portrait of Dr. Gachet was painted by Vincent around 1890 during one of his frequent stays at the nuthouse.  He painted this touching picture of his doctor looking quite exhausted, probably from hearing more than he bargained for about Van Gogh’s fascination with the color yellow. 

Japanese business man Ryoei Saito, who paid $78.1 million for a Renoir just two days after taking ownership of the Van Gogh, bought Dr. Gachet May 15, 1990.  I feel like Saito could have used his own trip to see Dr. Gachet.  Soon after purchasing the painting, Saito threatened to have it cremated with him after his death, for to spare his heirs from having to pay an exorbitant inheritance tax.  He died six years later and Dr. Gachet remains missing to this day.