{
  "id": 14153067,
  "title": "Hundreds queue in Hong Kong to glimpse Van Gogh painting unseen in public for 60 years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/hundreds-queue-in-hong-kong-to-glimpse-van-gogh-painting-unseen-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-13T08:02:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/10/13/hundreds-queue-in-hong-kong-to-glimpse-van-gogh-painting-unseen-in-public-for-60-years"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hundreds of individuals gathered in Hong Kong on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of a Vincent van Gogh painting that has not been publicly displayed for over six decades. The self-portrait, titled \"Châtaigniers en fleurs\" or \"Chestnut Trees in Blossom,\" is set to be auctioned next month in New York, with an expected sale price of approximately US$180 million. The artwork, painted in May 1890, is considered one of the most significant pieces from Van Gogh's final days in Auvers-sur-Oise, where he tragically passed away just two months later at the age of 37.\n\nScott Niichel, a representative from Sotheby's modern and contemporary art department in New York, expressed optimism about the auction, noting that the painting represents a moment of \"extraordinary optimism, frenetic energy, enthusiasm, passion, and colour\" in the artist's body of work. Rarely do Van Gogh's final Auvers-sur-Oise period paintings come to market, making this auction particularly significant for collectors, museums, and investors.\n\nLi Shanshan, a 50-year-old art enthusiast from Shenzhen, traveled about 2-1/2 hours to view the artwork and admitted she had never heard of \"Châtaigniers en fleurs\" before her visit. The painting, featuring a large blossoming chestnut tree with a canopy of flowers dominating the scene, will be sold as part of a collection of 12 long-unseen works, including pieces by Paul Cezanne and Claude Monet.\n\nAcquired by Van Gogh's brother Theo and later passing through Johanna van Gogh-Bonger and her son Vincent Willem, the painting has had a storied history. It was owned by German publisher Samuel Fischer, American songwriter and film producer Buddy DeSylva, and collector Harriet Harris-Jonas. The work was eventually purchased by the Blaquier family from art dealer Wildenstein in 1975.",
  "summary": "Painted in May 1890, 'Châtaigniers en fleurs' is among Van Gogh’s most significant final works, completed about two months before his death.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
        "title": "Therapy dogs in high demand: Hong Kong programme booked out until February 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/therapy-dogs-in-high-demand-hong-kong-programme-booked-out-until",
        "published": "2026-10-13T02:19:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Hundreds queue in Hong Kong to glimpse Van Gogh painting unseen in public for 60 years",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/hundreds-queue-in-hong-kong-to-glimpse-van-gogh-painting-unseen-in-14155720",
        "published": "2026-10-13T08:02:39.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}