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Celebrated Van Gogh Portrait Reported Deliberately Burned by Owner

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Mark Starr

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Jul 26, 1999, 3:00:00 AM7/26/99
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It was reported tonight that Van Gogh's "Portrait of Paul
Ferdinand Gachet," which was purchased several years
ago for $82 million by a Japanese businessman, was
apparently burned on instructions from its owner when
he was recently cremated.

The permanent loss to the world of one of Van Gogh's
greatest painting poses the most profound moral challenge
to the buying and selling of art.

Regards,
Mark Starr


Jonathan W Hendry

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Jul 27, 1999, 3:00:00 AM7/27/99
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Quoth Mark Starr on Mon, 26 Jul 1999 23:32:44 -0700 in <379D528C...@inow.com>:

> It was reported tonight that Van Gogh's "Portrait of Paul
> Ferdinand Gachet," which was purchased several years
> ago for $82 million by a Japanese businessman, was
> apparently burned on instructions from its owner when
> he was recently cremated.

I heard it had simply disappeared. There was a threat
that the owner would have it burned upon his death, in
order to reduce inheritance taxes on his estate.

He died, and the painting hasn't been seen since. It's
not known if it actually burned.

If they were sly, then creating the impression it *had*
burnt is just as good as actually burning it.


Charles Eicher

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Jul 27, 1999, 3:00:00 AM7/27/99
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In article <379D528C...@inow.com>, Mark says...

>
>It was reported tonight that Van Gogh's "Portrait of Paul
>Ferdinand Gachet," which was purchased several years
>ago for $82 million by a Japanese businessman, was
>apparently burned on instructions from its owner when
>he was recently cremated.

hmm.. did you ever see the movie "The Moderns"...??


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