Van Gogh Painting Gets Unveiled For The First Time Since Its Completion In 1887
Image via Sotheby’s
A Vincent van Gogh painting from 1887 that was never seen before by the public is being exhibited for the first time by auction house Sotheby’s, ahead of a March 25 sale. The landscape, Scène de rue à Montmartre (Street Scene in Montmartre), is estimated to sell for €5 million to €8 million (US$6 million to US$9.5 million).
The artwork shows a couple taking a stroll outside an entertainment hub—featuring a mill and a flag—in Paris. As Sotheby’s details, this was painted during an era when windmills were obsolete and simply served as tourist attractions or places of leisure.
Street Scene in Montmartre is described by the auction house as a “formative” piece for Van Gogh’s iconic Post-Impressionist art style. The painter was enticed by the blend of old-timey and urban elements in Montmartre, “where the mills blended with cabarets,” when he was living with his brother Theo in Paris and exploring the city. Having encountered some Impressionists during this time, Van Gogh eventually learned to swap out dark tones for more vivid palettes.
The street appears to be the same as the one portrayed in Impasse des Deux Frère, which features what is believed to be a windmill “billboard” advertising a cabaret and bar.
According to The Art Newspaper, the painting had been in the private collection of a French family for over 100 years. The only instances the public had viewed a semblance of it was through black-and-white reproductions in catalogs. How the artwork ended up in the possession of this family remains unclear.
Street Scene in Montmartre was recently displayed at Sotheby’s in Amsterdam, and is currently showing at the auction house’s Hong Kong location, where it will be showcased until March 12. It will then make its way to Paris for exhibition and sale.
[via Colossal and Sotheby’s, cover image via Sotheby’s]
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