A Vincent van Gogh painting, showcasing the artist’s transition from dark realism to vibrant impressionism, is on track to become the most expensive Western artwork ever sold in Asia. The piece, titled Les canots amarres (or “The Moored Boats”), was featured in an auction yesterday at Christie’s new Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong, with an estimated top value of $49 million.
Christie’s anticipates the painting could fetch between HK$230 million and HK$380 million (approximately $30 to $49 million) during the inaugural evening sale.
This artwork is one of around 40 pieces created by Van Gogh during the summer of 1887 near the picturesque town of Asnières, a boating center on the outskirts of Paris. Christie’s noted that this series marked a significant departure from the dark, earthy tones characteristic of his earlier realist works, as Van Gogh embraced a more vibrant color palette and expressive brushwork.
In a letter to his sister Willemina in October 1887, Van Gogh remarked, “When I painted landscapes in Asnières this summer, I saw more color… than ever before.”
Princess Camilla of the House of Bourbon Two Sicilies described the painting as one with “incredible history at a pivotal moment in the artist’s career.” She expressed her choice of Hong Kong for the auction as a strategic move to engage with Asia’s burgeoning base of collectors increasingly interested in Western art.
Born in the Netherlands in 1853, Vincent van Gogh remains one of the most renowned and influential figures in Western art history.
Related topics：
How to Design a Comic Book: A Comprehensive Guide