Was a $50 Garage Sale Painting Actually by Van Gogh?

A portrait purchased for under $50 at a Minnesota garage sale is at the center of a heated art world debate.

The painting, titled Elimar, depicts a rugged-looking fisherman smoking a pipe. Some art experts believe it was painted by Vincent van Gogh. But the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam firmly disagrees.

The artwork was acquired by New York-based art research firm LMI Group International in 2019. Since then, the company has spent more than $30,000 analyzing the painting and compiled a 450-page report asserting its authenticity.

They believe Elimar was created around 1889 during van Gogh’s stay at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence—a period when he produced Irises and The Starry Night.

The word “Elimar” is inscribed in the bottom right corner of the painting.

The painting is signed "Elimar" in the bottom right corner.

Van Gogh Museum Rejects the Attribution

The Van Gogh Museum, which holds the largest collection of the artist’s work, reviewed LMI Group’s report but stands by its original verdict.

“Based on our previous opinion on the painting in 2019, we maintain our view that this is not an authentic painting by Vincent van Gogh,” a spokesperson told The Minnesota Star Tribune.

Back in 2019, the museum examined the piece after a previous owner requested authentication. Experts concluded that stylistic elements did not align with van Gogh’s known works.

The museum, which receives dozens of authentication requests annually, mainly uses photographic analysis unless further inspection is warranted.

Inside the LMI Group’s Van Gogh Claim

Despite the rejection, LMI Group maintains that the painting is genuine. Their team, including art historian Maxwell L. Anderson and researcher William Havlicek, found compelling links between Elimar and a painting by Danish artist Michael Ancher titled Portrait of Niels Gaihede.

Van Gogh often reinterpreted the work of other artists. The LMI report frames Elimar as one such “translation,” painted during his asylum period.

Though the painting lacks van Gogh’s vibrant colors, it features impasto brushwork and depicts a bearded man seated by the sea, repairing a net, with a contemplative expression.

There’s no signature—only the word “Elimar” in block lettering.

LMI researchers compared the letters in the Elimar inscription to those in van Gogh’s Still Life With Bible (1885) and found similarities.

They also found a red hair embedded in the paint, genetically matching someone with red or reddish-brown hair—consistent with van Gogh.

Pigment analysis revealed the presence of PR-50, a red pigment believed to be patented in 1905. However, LMI uncovered an earlier 1883 patent, making its use plausible during van Gogh’s lifetime.

Van Gogh Self Portrait With Grey Felt Hat - April 1887

Van Gogh Self Portrait With Grey Felt Hat

According to the LMI report, Elimar may be a spiritual self-portrait, reflecting van Gogh’s emotional recovery during a turbulent period.

The firm is now presenting the work to scholars and dealers. They estimate its value at $15 million.

Doubts Linger Over the Painting’s Origin

Not everyone is convinced.

Critics point to the lack of van Gogh’s distinctive style and speculate the painting may actually be by Danish artist Henning Elimar. Some even note that his known signatures closely resemble the Elimar inscription.

The Van Gogh Museum remains firm. “We have carefully examined the material you supplied to us and are of the opinion, based on stylistic features, that your work cannot be attributed to Vincent van Gogh,” they reiterated.

“Trying to figure out how that piece ended up at a garage sale in Minneapolis is really the $15 million mystery,” said Robert Snell of Revere Auctions.

Whether Elimar is a forgotten masterpiece or the work of a lesser-known artist remains an open question.

Modern Authentication Methods

Authenticating art today blends connoisseurship with cutting-edge science.

Experts use pigment and fiber analysis, canvas thread counting, infrared reflectography, and even DNA or hair found in paint layers to confirm a painting’s origin.

Despite these tools, authentication still involves interpretation—especially when scientific results challenge stylistic expectations, as seen with Elimar.