The article explores the history and conservation of Vincent van Gogh's "The Red Vineyard," the only painting he is certain to have sold during his lifetime. Sold for 400 francs at a Brussels exhibition in March 1890, the work now resides at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. A recent conservation project used modern scientific techniques to uncover new details about the painting's creation, including Van Gogh's use of paint straight from the tube, compositional changes, and the fading of chrome yellow pigments. The article also recounts the painting's origin during Van Gogh's time in Arles with Paul Gauguin and its journey to Russia.
This matters because "The Red Vineyard" holds a unique place in art history as Van Gogh's sole confirmed sale while alive, making its provenance and physical condition of great interest to scholars and the public. The technical analysis reveals how Van Gogh's methods evolved under Gauguin's influence and how time has altered the work's appearance. Additionally, the painting's location in Moscow has limited its travel and international visibility since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, highlighting how geopolitical events affect cultural heritage access and study.