NEW YORK (Azat TV) – Descendants of the German-Jewish publisher Samuel Fischer have asked The New York Times reported, to halt the upcoming auction of Vincent van Gogh’s 1890 painting ‘Châtaigniers en Fleurs’ (Blossoming Chestnut Trees). The artwork carries an estimated value of $180 million, making it the highest-valued lot at this season’s art sales in Manhattan and potentially setting a record auction price for the artist. Representatives for the family argue that the piece was sold under duress in 1936 due to severe financial losses inflicted by Nazi persecution on the family’s publishing business.
Sotheby’s has stated that its extensive provenance research has not established duress, though the auction house is engaged in discussions with the family ahead of the scheduled Wednesday auction. The high-stakes dispute puts a centerpiece of the Blaquier-Arrieta Collection under intense scrutiny just days before the scheduled Manhattan sale, which is backed by a financial guarantee from Sotheby’s.
Provenance and the 1936 Sale
According to BBC coverage, Samuel Fischer acquired the oil painting in 1909, and it subsequently passed through family ownership following his death in 1934. Records show the painting was deposited with Paul Cassirer in Amsterdam in 1932 or 1933 before changing hands to Henriette and Marcel Kapferer in Paris in 1936. Four subsequent owners held the work before it was consigned to the current auction.
Gunnar Schnabel, a Berlin-based lawyer representing the Fischer heirs, sent an email on November 12 to Marco Toracca, head of Sotheby’s restitution department. According to The New York Times, Schnabel urged the auction house to prove beyond doubt that the 1936 transaction occurred at true market value and that the family would have proceeded with the sale independent of Nazi rule. The lawyer stated that without such proof, no auction should proceed, while noting his clients are prepared to pursue a resolution in the spirit of the 1998 Washington Principles on Nazi-confiscated art.
Sotheby’s Response and Market Stakes
Sotheby’s maintains that its rigorous research into the painting’s history since 1890 has found no evidence supporting the duress claim. However, the auction house emphasized its willingness to address the family’s concerns constructively.
“We are aware of the concerns recently raised by representatives of the Fischer heirs and have been in dialogue with them regarding the painting’s history,” BBC reported in a statement from the auction house. Sotheby’s added that it recognizes the importance of engaging thoughtfully with the family to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution ahead of the Wednesday hammer date.