In early 1945, during the Dutch 'Hunger Winter' at the end of World War II, Vincent van Gogh's nephew, Vincent Willem van Gogh, exchanged two of the artist's drawings for 35 packets of butter and some bacon. The swap was arranged with the help of artist Charley Toorop and involved the cheese business Visser Kaas in Heiloo. One of the drawings, *Head of a Peasant Woman, left profile* (December 1884–May 1885), is now being offered at Sotheby's on 25 June with an estimate of £400,000–£600,000, suggesting the pair would be worth around £1 million today. The nephew's family was suffering from starvation and tragedy, including the execution of his eldest son by German forces.
This story matters because it highlights the extreme lengths to which even the custodians of major artistic legacies were driven by wartime deprivation, and it adds a poignant human dimension to the provenance of Van Gogh's works. The upcoming Sotheby's sale also underscores the enduring market value of drawings that were once bartered for basic sustenance, connecting a desperate moment in history to the contemporary art market. Additionally, the involvement of Charley Toorop ties the narrative to a current exhibition at the Kröller-Müller Museum, linking past and present art-world interest.