Selling Van Gogh's Sunflowers
Witness History31 Mar 2022

Selling Van Gogh's Sunflowers

Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" was sold at auction at Christie's in London in March 1987 for 39.9 million dollars - then a world record and more than double the previous top price paid for an artwork at auction. The sale made front-page headlines and is now seen as the moment the international art market went through the roof. Uma Doraiswamy talks to Lord Charles Hindlip, then the chairman of Christie's and the man who auctioned the painting.

PHOTO: "Sunflowers" arriving in Japan in 1987 after its sale at Christie's (Getty Images)

Episoder(2000)

Mohamed Morsi: Egypt's first democratically elected president

Mohamed Morsi: Egypt's first democratically elected president

In June 2012, Mohamed Morsi, representing the Muslim Brotherhood, became Egypt's first democratically elected president.In 2022, Ben Henderson spoke to Rabab El-Mahdi, chief strategist to one of Morsi...

15 Sep 202510min

How the Philippines saved Jews during World War Two

How the Philippines saved Jews during World War Two

In September 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were introduced in Nazi Germany.In 1938, seven-year-old Lotte Hershfield and her family left their home in Breslau, which was part of Germany and is now known as ...

12 Sep 202510min

9/11: The generosity of Gander

9/11: The generosity of Gander

On 11 September, 2001, a small Canadian town called Gander became a haven for thousands of airline passengers and crew stranded after the 9/11 terror attacks.The attacks on the World Trade Center had ...

10 Sep 202510min

The story behind The Peter Principle book

The story behind The Peter Principle book

In 1969, a satirical book, The Peter Principle, suggested promotion led to incompetence.It was written by a Canadian Professor of Education, Dr Laurence J Peter and playwright Raymond Hull. The book w...

10 Sep 202510min

The Enabling Act

The Enabling Act

On 23 March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed in Germany, handing Adolf Hitler unchecked power. It became the legal foundation of his dictatorship.But in that moment, one voice spoke in defiance.Otto ...

9 Sep 202510min

Festac ’77: Nigeria’s largest festival of African arts and culture

Festac ’77: Nigeria’s largest festival of African arts and culture

In 1977, Nigeria hosted the largest festival of African arts and culture there had ever been. About half a million visitors attended, as well as 16,000 delegates including Stevie Wonder and Miriam Mak...

8 Sep 202510min

‘How I sold my clothes and created a $5 billion Vinted empire’

‘How I sold my clothes and created a $5 billion Vinted empire’

In 2008, Lithuanian student Milda Mitkutė realised she had too many clothes when she was moving out.She told her friend Justas Janauskas and together they came up with a website to sell them. It later...

5 Sep 202510min

World's first womb transplant baby

World's first womb transplant baby

In September 2014, the world's first baby was born to a mother with a transplanted womb, making headlines around the globe.Malin Stenberg had the pioneering surgery over a year earlier when she receiv...

4 Sep 202510min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
konspirasjonspodden
popradet
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
wolfgang-wee-uncut
grenselos
min-barneoppdragelse
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
synnve-og-vanessa
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
fladseth
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
198-land-med-einar-trnquist