Some people just have too much money: the story of "Portrait of Dr. Gachet"

[WillJ]

The top 10 most expensive paintings of all time.

Topping this list is Vincent van Gogh's "Portrait of Dr. Gachet," at the whopping price tag of $82,500,000. The man who bought this masterpiece was Ryoei Saito, who spent a total of $160,600,000 on this painting and one of Renoir's works in the space of two days (during the year of 1990).

Beforehand this painting had been owned by twelve other people, including European collectors, Parisian and Berlinian dealers, a German medievalist, and an elite Nazi member.

Upon receiving this work of art Mr. Saito, who like most rich men hated taxes, said that when he died he wanted the van Gogh painting incinerated, so that his hiers wouldn't have to pay Japan's high inheritance taxes. Although he was probably joking, the painting has remained unseen ever since the man's death in 1996. Some sources say the painting was locked away in Saito's estate; others claim it was purchased by an anonomous American. Or, of course, it could have truly been burned--$82.5 miliion+ down the drain.

Your thoughts? What do you think this painting is (was) worth? How crazy do you have to be to spend more than 80 mil. on it? What would you do if you found this painting? Just found this out today, and thought it was interesting...

 

[Archer 007]

I doubt it was burned.

 

[Giotto]

Owning a painting like that is really just a status symbol. I think it's a very beautiful work, but if I want to see great art I'll just hop on a plane to Italy and spend a couple grand instead of a couple million (or more than a couple in this case).

 

[Marla_Singer]

Originally posted by Archer 007
I doubt it was burned.

I agree. Such paintings could be easily considered as investments since there are few chance it will lose value with time. Maybe a way to avoid taxes ?

 

[Achinz]

It seems to be the ultimate display of wealth and presumed good taste - a gesture that you have made it and can afford the best in aesthetic taste. The primal collector's impulse wrapped in a veneer of connoisseurship. Always pity the original creator of the art work though.

 

[Marla_Singer]

I have a theory about Van Gogh.

According to me Van Gogh fell in love with Gauguin but Gauguin was definitly straight. Indeed, Gauguin enjoyed a lot to paint women (Polynisian Vahinés) when Van Gogh isn't at all attracted by them. That love he had for Gauguin disturbed a lot Van Gogh who didn't really like himself before. That's why he got totally mad.

A funny picture from Van Gogh is the Crucifixion he has painted. The Christ looks amazingly like him. It tells a lot on the character according to me. I don't mean that Van Gogh believed he was God, just that he the inside pain he felt made him feel as the sufferings of the Christ.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

That painting isn't worth 80 million dollars, though if someone is willing to pay that much, why not?

The burning story was just a way to get his kids out of paying taxes. "Oh, that old painting? Well, we "can't find it", so maybe Daddy actually followed through on that promise and burned it".

 

[Karl Lenin]

A wealthy CAPITALIST burned a invaluable piece of art just to avoid taxes? I would not be surprised.

 

[Stapel]

If I have a painting at home, and people are willing to pay entrance to take a look, I could easily determine the economical value of it.

Afaik, the 'Van Gogh Museum' in Amsterdam has the highest entrance fee of all museums in NL. Yet, is has the longest rows (filled with Japanese) . Therefor we can conclude that a 'Van Gogh' has more value than other paintings.

But 82 million dollars......