Featured in Domain Arrivals · 2026-08-09

The Two Hammers of Van Gogh

An interactive auction catalogue comparing how Van Gogh’s paintings were received in his lifetime with what they fetched—or became—about a century later.

Why it surfaced

Its central device is excellent: “Every lot in this sale sells twice,” once to silence or pity and once to the modern art market. The catalogue turns works such as The Red Vineyard, Portrait of Dr. Gachet, Irises, Sunflowers, and The Starry Night into sharply written contrasts between poverty, illness, neglect, museums, and record prices.