How many Van Gogh works are lost?

It is hard to answer how many art works by Vincent van Gogh are lost. Vincent made more than 2000 works and thanks to his letters we have an idea of how many of them are lost. 85 lost works is an estimate, of which many are drawings.

Another 6 works have been destroyed and are lost forever. Vase with Five Sunflowers being the most famous one that was destroyed by fire in Japan in the Second World War.

137 years ago, on or about 23 November 1884,

Vincent van Gogh wrote to Theo from Nuenen:

“It’s getting better for me — although my expenses aren’t getting any smaller — but we’re definitely making progress just by working very hard now…. ...I’m also working on a watercolour of the water mill. Regards, with a handshake.”

Watermill at Gennep
Nuenen, 1884
Watercolor
30,5 x 47 cm
Present whereabouts unknown / destroyed

You may also like to read:

• Van Gogh's missing paintings

Van Gogh's 'Watermill at Gennep'

<< previous | next >>