Friday 26 August 2011

Van Gogh Found

This painting of Vincent Van Gogh - the only full-length portrait of the artist known to exist - has been exciting folks at the Abbey Walk Gallery in Grimsby. A couple from Louth bought the pastel painting at auction in France for 1,700 euro thingies 18 months ago. Since then, they've been getting experts to evaluate it. Favourable responses with some bet hedging. What does it for me is that the back of the painting bears the words 'L'Incompris' (The Misunderstood) and the signature of French female artist Jeanne Donnadieu, who lived only four doors away from Van Gogh. The title captures him as well as does the brushwork.

6 Comments:

At 27/8/11, Anonymous Matt said...

Wait, Grimsby has an art gallery?

 
At 27/8/11, Blogger Unknown said...

Hi, Matt

Yes. It's a small private art gallery, nothing pretentious. It probablly sells portraits of fish most of the time.

 
At 27/8/11, Blogger Abbey Walk Gallery said...

Hi Coxsoft, we are predominantly a Contemporary Gallery. Check out our website www.abbeywalkgallery.com or better still pay us a visit you would be more than welcome.

 
At 27/8/11, Blogger Unknown said...

Hi

Thank you for your kind invitation, but Grimbsy is a long way from my usual stamping grounds. I will check out you website though.

 
At 29/10/11, Anonymous Mandy said...

Van Gogh actually wrote on his walls and on the wall in the portrait, at the top right, are the words "L'Incompris" which are not a title she has scrawled on. She is too excellent an artist for that. It had to have been there for her to include it. Incredible. Check out www.vincentvangoghportrait.com for all the research to date. Amazing! This is going to be huge!! The only full height portrait of Vincent van Gogh in existence and it includes his habits and belongings of the time! This is the biggest "Watch This Space" ever!!

 
At 29/10/11, Blogger Unknown said...

Hi, Mandy

It certainly was a lucky find for the couple who bought it. The subject must make it far more valuable than it would have been if it were merely a portrait of an unknown person. And what van Gogh thought of himself written on the wall too! They'll need to update the art books about him to include this picture. It could so easily have been lost or discarded.

Thanks for the link.

 

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