This unseen Vincent van Gogh painting is being exhibited for the first time ever after gathering dust in a private collection for over a century and will soon go on auction.
The ‘Scene de Rue a Montmartre’ by Van Gogh can be admired at the office of Sotheby’s auction house in the Dutch capital Amsterdam from today (Monday).
The painting was bought by a French collector in 1920 and it has remained privately owned by the same family since then.
The rare masterpiece has never been publicly exhibited before and will remain in Amsterdam until Wednesday before being displayed in Sotheby’s locations in Hong Kong and Paris.
Scene de Rue a Montmartre will be auctioned with other impressionist and modern art pieces on 25th March and the target price is EUR five to eight million.
According to the auction house, visitors need to book an appointment in advance if they want to see the rare piece in person, and most time slots are already allocated due to high interest from collectors and representatives of museums.
The painting dates back to 1887 when Van Gogh lived in Paris with his brother Theo, and is believed to be one of the first paintings that shows Van Gogh’s transition from the dark earthy tones of his early paintings to his vibrant brushstroke influenced by impressionist painters.
The masterpiece depicts a street scene during the day with the windmill Moulin de la Galette in the centre and a passing couple and a child in front of it.
The busy nightlife spot on the hill of Montmartre in Paris has inspired many painters in the past like impressionists Renoir and Pissarro.
It is not known if the painting will be publicly exhibited after it is sold and could well end up in a different private collection for another century.
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Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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