A painting purchased at a garage sale in Minnesota has been identified as a lost work by Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, according to a newly released expert analysis.
The piece dates back to 1889 when Van Gogh was staying at a psychiatric hospital in southern France. Experts spent four years studying the canvas, paint pigments, and brushwork before confirming its authenticity.
An antique collector acquired the painting in 2016. It features the word “Elimar” inscribed in the bottom right corner. Measuring 18 inches by 16.5 inches, the oil-on-canvas depicts an elderly fisherman with a white beard, smoking a pipe while repairing his net.
Based on a work by Danish artist ‘Michael Ancher’
Experts believe the painting found at a garage sale is based on a work by Danish artist Michael Ancher (1849–1927). Van Gogh was known to reinterpret other artists’ works in his unique style.
During the analysis, researchers discovered a human hair embedded in the canvas. DNA testing confirmed it belonged to a male, but the degraded state of the sample prevented scientists from matching it to Van Gogh’s descendants.
What do you think?
A team of New York-based experts believe this painting purchased at a Minnesota garage sale for $50, is by Vincent VanGogh!
Evidence: The red pigment used in the painting is apparently is 19th-century brand of paint, and then there’s a single red hair… pic.twitter.com/dDZp4Tsd4T— La Gazette Drouot – International (@Gazette_Inter) January 30, 2025
Lawrence M. Shindell, chairman of art research firm LMI Group, stated that the authentication process combined scientific methods with traditional art analysis. His team examined the painting’s composition, materials, and historical records to verify its origin.
“By integrating science and technology with traditional tools of connoisseurship, historical context, formal analysis, and provenance research, we aim both to expand and tailor the resources available for art authentication based on the unique properties of the works under our care,” Shindell said in a statement.
Van Gogh Museum yet to confirm attribution
Despite extensive research, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has yet to confirm the painting as an official work by the artist. The museum previously declined to authenticate it in 2018 when a former owner approached them.
LMI Group, which acquired the painting in 2019, remains confident in its findings. Experts argue that discovering previously unknown Van Gogh works is not uncommon. Many of his pieces were lost, given away, or left undocumented, particularly those he considered practice studies.
In a report, LMI described the painting as an emotionally charged and deeply personal work, created during one of the most turbulent periods of Van Gogh’s life.
Van Gogh, known for his vivid brushstrokes and emotional intensity, produced around 900 paintings. Though never officially diagnosed, researchers believe he suffered from mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder.
In 2020, medical experts in the Netherlands suggested that Van Gogh experienced two psychotic episodes, likely triggered by alcohol withdrawal, following his hospitalization in 1888. That same year, he famously cut off his own ear.
The artist died by suicide in 1890 at the age of 37, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence the art world today.