Portraits of Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853-1890)
© Samuel Gaytan/El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
(New York, NY) — A group of experts says a painting bought at a Minnesota yard sale several years ago is the work of Vincent van Gogh. ArtNews.com reported this week that a panel of about 20 experts examined the painting, comparing it to other works by van Gogh and testing the canvas and paint. They now believe the painting was created between 1889 and 1890 while the famous artist was staying at a mental institution in France.
The 18-inch-tall portrait depicts a white-bearded man by the sea who is smoking a pipe and repairing a fishing net. His downcast eyes betray contemplation, and his face is marked by ruddy coloring and deep smile lines
An antiques collector purchased the painting at a garage sale in Minnesota for under $50. It could be worth as much as 15-million.