The official Van Gogh museum is throwing cold water on the claim that a painting purchased for $50 at a Minnesota garage sale was made by the Dutch artist.
New York art experts from LMI Group International have long asserted a painting of a rugged-looking fisherman smoking a pipe called ‘Elimar’ was made by Vincent van Gogh.
The researchers have spent more than $30,000 analyzing the painting, which was sourced from a garage sale in 2016 and acquired by LMI Group in 2019, and have written a 458-page report to argue their stance.
LMI Group believes the artwork was created circa 1889 and is worth a staggering $15 million.
But the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam – which possesses the world’s largest collection of his work – begs to differ.
‘We have considered the new information mentioned in the LMI Group’s “Elimar” report,’ a museum spokesperson wrote to The Minnesota Star Tribune.
‘Based on our previous opinion on the painting in 2019, we maintain our view that this is not an authentic painting by Vincent van Gogh.’
The museum first shot down the idea of ‘Elimar’ being a piece made by the 19th century post-Impressionist in 2019 when an earlier owner of the painting requested for it to be authenticated.
New York art experts from LMI Group International have long asserted a painting of a rugged-looking fisherman smoking a pipe called ‘Elimar’ was painted by Vincent van Gogh
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam denied that ‘Elimar’ was painted by the Dutch post-Impressionist painter
‘We have carefully examined the material you supplied to us and are of the opinion, based on stylistic features, that your work cannot be attributed to Vincent van Gogh,’ a representative told the then-owner, according to The Art Newspaper.
On the Van Gogh Museum’s website, it is explained that the artist’s works are ‘very well documented’ and it is unlikely that there are many new pieces to add to his portfolio.
The website reads: ‘The museum conducts research into Vincent van Gogh’s art, and so we have a great deal of detailed knowledge about his oeuvre, his iconography, his painting and drawing techniques, his choice of materials and the provenance of his works.
‘This knowledge can help determine whether or not an artwork can be attributed to Van Gogh.’
The Van Gogh museum, founded in 1973, only handles about 35 authentications annually after becoming overwhelmed with requests over the years, the New York Times reported.
Experts at the museum ‘are only accepting requests from professionals in the art field,’ according to the Van Gogh Museum website.
The museum’s process of determining the legitimacy of a painting is primarily based on photographs. Occasionally, they may ask for a piece to be mailed over.
‘If the museum is not of the opinion that the artwork is by Van Gogh once the photographs have been examined, we will not provide a detailed substantiation of our findings,’ the museum asserted.
The Van Gogh museum, founded in 1973, only handles about 35 authentications annually after becoming overwhelmed with requests over the years
The word ‘Elimar’ inscribed in the painting’s lower-right corner is where LIM Group sourced its name
Even though the style of ‘Elimar’ does not mesh with what one typically imagines when it comes to Van Gogh, LIM Group researchers have claimed it was his version of a painting made my another artist.
The ‘Elimar’ bears resemblance to a portrait of a fisherman, Neils Gaihede, by a Danish painter named Michael Ancher, according to the group’s detailed report.
There is no signature on the painting, only the word ‘Elimar’ inscribed on its lower-right corner, which is where LMI Group got the name for the piece.
The methodology outlined in their research included analyzing ‘the block lettering applied by brush to a painted surface’ and DNA found on the painting itself, according to LIM Group.
