Gauguin “When Will You Marry” Sale Sets New Record

Paul Gauguin, a 19th century Post-Impressionist French artist and buddy of Vincent Van Gogh, wasn’t truly appreciated in his lifetime. But he is now. Very much so. The recent sale of his “Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?)” certainly proves that. The 1892 oil painting of two Tahitian girls sold for close to $300 million, as reported by the New York Times. It is considered to be one of the highest prices ever paid for a painting, the article says, although many other articles say it is the highest.

The sale was confirmed by the seller, Rudolf Staechelin, a retired Sotheby’s executive living in Basel, Switzerland, who owns a large collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works through a family trust. The buyer is believed to be from the oil-rich emirate of Qatar, although the seller would neither confirm nor deny that information.

Whatever, just think of that! Someone had enough money to plunk down close to $300 million for a Gauguin. It reminds one of the words of French fashion designer Coco Chanel: “There are people who have money and people who are rich.”

That even puts the Powerball drawing that made big news this week in a different perspective. Three people won a jackpot valued at $564 million. One person won in North Carolina, one in Texas and one in Puerto Rico. So they have to divide that up. Each person picked the cash option and will get about $127 million before taxes. No denying they have a lot of money but they still can’t afford a Gauguin.