Vincent van Gogh’s “Châtaigniers en fleurs” (“Chestnut Trees in Blossom”) will be sold at Sotheby’s in New York on 18 November. The painting has not been exhibited publicly for more than half a century. It is estimated at $180 million, a figure the auction house says far exceeds any price achieved for the Dutch painter’s work at auction.
Sale estimate and record
According to Sotheby’s, the final price including the buyer’s premium is expected to reach $207 million.
The current auction record for Van Gogh was set in 2022. That year, his “Verger avec cyprès” (“Orchard with Cypresses”) sold at Christie’s in New York for $117 million.
One of eight Auvers landscapes in private hands
The painting is one of 50 landscapes Van Gogh produced during his time in Auvers. It is one of only eight from that period that remain in private hands.
The Blaquier-Arrieta collection
The work belongs to the Blaquier-Arrieta collection. The collection also includes Paul Cézanne’s “Arlequin”, valued at around $120 million. According to The Independent, neither painting has been publicly exhibited for more than 50 years.
Carlos Pedro Blaquier and Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier began collecting in the 1960s, Sotheby’s said in a statement. They worked closely with leading galleries such as Lefevre and Wildenstein, building a collection that spans Impressionist and modern art.
The auction house added that their path as collectors reflected a wider commitment to art scholarship, philanthropy and the preservation of cultural heritage.
Other works in the sale
The same auction will include:
- “Jardin des Tuileries” (“The Tuileries Garden”), with a starting price of $15 million
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “En Canot (Jeune fille à la barque)” (“In the Boat”), estimated at between $25 million and $35 million
