Nazi-looted art: landscape paintings by Vincent van Gogh auctioned for a record price

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Van Gogh painting: A haystack for 30 million

Photo: Cox Collection / Christie's Images

For a long time the painting "Meules de blé" by Vincent van Gogh seemed lost: During the occupation of France, the Nazis confiscated the work.

His whereabouts were unclear until the 1970s.

Now the watercolor was sold at auction for 35.9 million euros in New York.

That corresponds to the equivalent of around 31 million euros.

As the auction house Christie's announced, the work "Meules de blé" from 1888 went for significantly more than the estimated 20 to 30 million dollars before the sale.

It is a record sum for a watercolor by the Dutch impressionist.

"Meules de blé" shows a haystack in Arles, France, where van Gogh lived in the 1880s.

In contrast to his most famous works, which were painted with oil paints, the painting is made with watercolor, gouache, pen and ink on paper.

It was last seen in 1905 at an exhibition in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

After the artist committed suicide at the age of 37, the work was initially owned by his brother Theo van Gogh.

After that it changed hands several times.

It was confiscated during the German occupation of France.

The painting was last in private hands.

Christie's said it acquired it through a comparison with the collector and the heirs of the original owner.

Van Gogh is considered one of the greatest and most influential painters in the arts, although he had little commercial success during his lifetime.

His best-known works include his »Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat« (1887), »Starry Night« (1889) - but also various landscape paintings such as the »Evening Landscape at Moonrise« (1889).

ime / Reuters