How does a Vincent Van Gogh end up in a garage sale in Minnesota? That's one of many questions after recent reports are confirming a painting bought at a garage sale is an original Van Gogh. But one local art specialist says hold on a minute.
The painting was purchased back in 2016 at a garage sale in the Twin Cities' suburb of Minnetonka for $50 and now is thought to be an undiscovered painting by the legendary Dutch Post-Impressionist Vincent Van Gogh.
Robert Snell is co-owner and painting specialist at Revere Auctions in St. Paul, and he says there are reasons to believe the painting is authentic, but nothing concrete. He says the key is whether the Van Gogh Museum actually authenticates it.
"There were some stylistic similarities," Snell explains. "The canvas was consistent. They found a hair. But there was no, like, smoking gun evidence."
There's been some conclusion that the painting is the work of Van Gogh and that is based on more than four years of research by some 20 experts with backgrounds in everything from art history to forensic science, according to the report by LMI Group, which now owns the painting. They purchased it in 2019.
Regardless, real or not, Robert is enjoying the hype. The painting is oil of a red-faced fisherman and has that Van Gogh style.
"Whatever the case may be, I do think it's still like a really fun and great story," says Snell. And you know, for their sake, I do hope it turns out to be a Van Gogh. But for the people who sold it, I hope it doesn't."
By the way, if it is real? The paining is estimated to be worth $15 million which is a pretty nice return on a $50 garage sale buy.