Where is Van Gogh's Dr. Gachet?
Portrait of Dr. Gachet is one of the most revered paintings by the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. It depicts Dr. Paul Gachet who took care of Van Gogh during the final months of his life, and was painted in June 1890 at Auvers-sur-Oise.
There are, or were, two versions of the Portrait of Dr. Gachet, as well as a single etching.
The whereabouts of the original Portrait of Dr. Gachet are unknown, and is one of today's biggest art mysteries.
Whereabouts unknown
First sold in 1897 by Van Gogh's sister-in-law for 300 francs, the original Portrait of Dr. Gachet was subsequently bought by Paul Cassirer (1904), Kessler (1904), and Druet (1910).
In 1911, the painting was acquired by the Städel (Städtische Galerie) in Frankfurt, Germany and hung there until 1933, when the painting was put in a hidden room.
It was confiscated by the Nazis in 1937 as part of its campaign to rid Germany of so-called degenerate art. Instead of destroying it, however, Hermann Göring, Hitler's second in command, kept it for himself, then sold it to Franz Koenigs in Paris.
In 1939, to prevent them from destruction, Koenigs transported numerous artworks from Europe to safe keeping with art dealer Knoedler's in New York, among them Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet.
Art collector and philanthropist Siegfried Kramarsky, who added the original Portrait of Dr. Gachet to his collection, often lent it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
On May 15, 1990, the painting was put up for auction by Christie's New York by Kramarsky's heirs, where it fetched $82.5 million, making it the most expensive painting in the world at that time.
The buyer, Ryoei Saito, Japanese businessman and honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing Co. revelled in the notoriety, and caused a uproar when he declared that he would have the Van Gogh painting cremated with him after his death.
The painting hasn't been seen since.
Ryoei Saito died in 1996.
In the intervening years, Saito's aides said his threats to burn the masterpiece was just an expression of his intense affection for it. He also said he would consider giving the painting to the Japanese government or a museum.
In this week's episode of the GONE podcast, hosts Molly Brandenburg & Richard Rossner explore what is rumoured to have happened since. If you like a good mystery, it's worth a listen.
... and in case you were wondering...
Musée d'Orsay, Paris
The second version of the portrait was owned by Gachet himself, and was bequeathed to the Republic of France by his heirs.
In the words of J.B. de la Faille, the Dutch scholar who compiled the first exhaustive catalog of Van Gogh works, 'We consider this painting a very weak replica of the preceding one, missing the piercing look' of the original.
The National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (impression)
Van Gogh's one and only etching, known as L'homme à la pipe (Man with a pipe), is a portrait of Dr. Gachet. The impression owned by the National Gallery of Canada is one of 60 printings made after his death.
To learn more
E13: Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet - GONE podcast
'Portrait Of Dr. Gachet': A Van Gogh Painting, Once Obscure, Now Unseen - New York Times
Lost Van Gogh feared cremated with owner - Independent
$82m Van Gogh painting missing - BBC
15 Things You Didn't Know About Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet - Mental Floss
Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise - Van Gogh Route
Grave of Vincent and Theo van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise - Atlas Obscura
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There are, or were, two versions of the Portrait of Dr. Gachet, as well as a single etching.
The whereabouts of the original Portrait of Dr. Gachet are unknown, and is one of today's biggest art mysteries.
Portrait of Dr. Gachet - the original
First sold in 1897 by Van Gogh's sister-in-law for 300 francs, the original Portrait of Dr. Gachet was subsequently bought by Paul Cassirer (1904), Kessler (1904), and Druet (1910).
In 1911, the painting was acquired by the Städel (Städtische Galerie) in Frankfurt, Germany and hung there until 1933, when the painting was put in a hidden room.
It was confiscated by the Nazis in 1937 as part of its campaign to rid Germany of so-called degenerate art. Instead of destroying it, however, Hermann Göring, Hitler's second in command, kept it for himself, then sold it to Franz Koenigs in Paris.
In 1939, to prevent them from destruction, Koenigs transported numerous artworks from Europe to safe keeping with art dealer Knoedler's in New York, among them Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet.
Art collector and philanthropist Siegfried Kramarsky, who added the original Portrait of Dr. Gachet to his collection, often lent it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
On May 15, 1990, the painting was put up for auction by Christie's New York by Kramarsky's heirs, where it fetched $82.5 million, making it the most expensive painting in the world at that time.
The buyer, Ryoei Saito, Japanese businessman and honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing Co. revelled in the notoriety, and caused a uproar when he declared that he would have the Van Gogh painting cremated with him after his death.
The painting hasn't been seen since.
Ryoei Saito died in 1996.
In the intervening years, Saito's aides said his threats to burn the masterpiece was just an expression of his intense affection for it. He also said he would consider giving the painting to the Japanese government or a museum.
In this week's episode of the GONE podcast, hosts Molly Brandenburg & Richard Rossner explore what is rumoured to have happened since. If you like a good mystery, it's worth a listen.
... and in case you were wondering...
Portrait of Dr. Gachet - the second
The second version of the portrait was owned by Gachet himself, and was bequeathed to the Republic of France by his heirs.
In the words of J.B. de la Faille, the Dutch scholar who compiled the first exhaustive catalog of Van Gogh works, 'We consider this painting a very weak replica of the preceding one, missing the piercing look' of the original.
Portrait of Dr. Gachet - the third
Van Gogh's one and only etching, known as L'homme à la pipe (Man with a pipe), is a portrait of Dr. Gachet. The impression owned by the National Gallery of Canada is one of 60 printings made after his death.
To learn more
E13: Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet - GONE podcast
'Portrait Of Dr. Gachet': A Van Gogh Painting, Once Obscure, Now Unseen - New York Times
Lost Van Gogh feared cremated with owner - Independent
$82m Van Gogh painting missing - BBC
15 Things You Didn't Know About Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet - Mental Floss
Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise - Van Gogh Route
Grave of Vincent and Theo van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise - Atlas Obscura
More from arttravelbug
Picasso’s Kitchen - to September 30, 2018 - Museu Picasso, Barcelona
René Magritte: The Fifth Season - to October 28, 2018 - SFMOMA
Santa Bibiana's Bernini (Rome)
Venice: Guggenheim Backstory
Sponsored content (mine!)
Cruises - my cruise website
Feel free to contact me if I can help you with your travel plans
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