A previously obscure double-sided drawing by Vincent van Gogh, created in the final weeks of his life, will be auctioned by Christie's in Paris. The sheet features a study of female pea pickers on one side and a landscape on the other, complete with color notations indicating Van Gogh's intention to develop them into paintings. The work has been authenticated by the Van Gogh Museum and carries an estimate of €100,000-€150,000.
The sale is significant because the drawings offer a rare glimpse into Van Gogh's creative process during his prolific but tragic final period in Auvers-sur-Oise. The color annotations suggest he was planning future works, countering the narrative of an artist preparing for imminent suicide. Its provenance, tracing back to Dr. Paul Gachet who treated the artist, adds historical weight, while its emergence sheds new light on a body of preparatory sketches for paintings that were either never executed or are lost.