Sotheby's New York will auction Vincent van Gogh's watercolor *The Harvest in Provence* (June 1888) on May 19, with an estimate of $25–35 million. The work, larger and more elaborate than a related watercolor at Harvard, was created just days before van Gogh's celebrated oil painting of the same scene. It is signed and titled, suggesting the artist considered it a finished piece rather than a mere study, and he sent it to his brother Theo before completing the oil version.
This sale could set a record for a van Gogh watercolor, underscoring the enduring strength of the market for masterworks on paper. The watercolor's provenance, its connection to van Gogh's working process in Arles, and its rarity—watercolors by the artist seldom appear at auction—make it a significant event for collectors and institutions. The result may also influence valuations of other works on paper by major Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists.