A Van Gogh painting created in the final weeks of the artist's life goes on display Wednesday ahead of auction, valued at $180 million. "Châtaigniers en fleurs" (Flowering Chestnut Trees) is part of a private collection held for more than 50 years that has been described as having an "almost mythical status" and compared to a miniature version of Paris's Musée d'Orsay.
The work will be auctioned alongside 11 other pieces, including paintings by Paul Cézanne and Claude Monet. The sale represents the dispersal of a collection that has remained largely out of public view for decades. The Guardian reports the collection was held privately during that 50-year period before the current decision to put works to auction.
The Van Gogh painting dates to the final two months of the artist's life, a period that produced some of his most sought-after works. The $180 million valuation underscores the market appetite for authenticated Van Gogh paintings, particularly those from his most productive and celebrated years.