Vincent van Gogh sold one painting during his lifetime: The Red Vineyard. It was purchased by Belgian artist and collector Anna Boch for 400 francs at the 1890 Les XX exhibition in Brussels.
Van Gogh painted The Red Vineyard near Arles in November 1888, showing workers harvesting grapes beneath an intensely red evening sky. The sale came only months before his death in July 1890, when he was still largely unknown outside a small circle of artists and supporters. His brother Theo, an art dealer, promoted his work, but commercial success remained elusive.
The familiar “one painting” claim refers specifically to documented sales of his paintings. Historians have noted that Van Gogh may also have exchanged works, given drawings away, or made informal transactions, so the broader story is sometimes stated less absolutely. Nevertheless, The Red Vineyard is the sole clearly identified painting traditionally counted as sold during his lifetime, making “one” the standard answer in art-history quizzes.
Van Gogh produced roughly 900 paintings, including later masterpieces such as Sunflowers, The Starry Night, and Irises. Their extraordinary prices and fame came after his death, transforming the artist who struggled to sell work into one of the most celebrated painters in history.