The French couple owns the land where the renowned painter Van Gogh painted his last picture.

The plot of land in the village where the renowned painter Vincent Van Gogh created one of his last paintings has been the subject of a five-year dispute between a mayor and a French couple.

The painting Tree Roots (1890) by the renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh - Photo: Vincent Van Gogh Foundation

Recently, the dispute in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise (France) has come to an end. A French court ruled that the land associated with the painter Van Gogh belongs to the couple, and the female mayor lost the case.

Disputes over the land where Van Gogh painted.

The mayor of Auvers-sur-Oise, Isabelle Mézières, has maintained for the past five years that the area is public property. Local authorities have been trying to reclaim the land since 2020, arguing that it is part of a public road.

However, the Court of Appeal at Versailles sided with Jean-François and Hélène Serlinger, the owners of the house, including the area where the painter Van Gogh painted Tree Roots (1890).

The judge confirmed that the disputed area was indeed part of a public road, as the mayor had argued, and ordered the local authorities to pay 2,000 euros (approximately 59 million VND) in legal fees.

In 2013, the Serlinger couple bought the house at 48 Daubigny Street, Auvers-sur-Oise – the riverside village where Van Gogh lived his last days.

At the time of purchase, they were completely unaware of the importance of this location, riddled with tree roots, in Van Gogh's artistic career.

In 2020, Wouter van der Veen, the scientific director of the Van Gogh Institute, discovered the site after comparing an early 20th-century photograph showing tree roots that matched those in Van Gogh's painting.

In other words, the barren, root-filled patch of land in the backyard of number 48 is the subject of the painting Tree Roots (1890). This is likely the last work of one of the most beloved painters in art history.

The painting was created by the renowned artist just hours before he took his own life in a nearby wheat field. Van Gogh depicted the intertwined roots of the plants in vibrant colors – a clear expression of his inner struggle.

The barren, root-filled plot of land in the backyard of house number 48 is the subject of the painting Tree Roots (1890) - Photo:

Those who love the garden can take a 30-minute tour for 8 euros (approximately 230,000 VND) - Photo: EPA-EFE

The mayor is upset and demands an appeal.

"We are so glad it's all over now," Hélène Serlinger, 68, told the Independent . The newspaper reported that it was their love for Van Gogh that prompted them to move to the village in 1996.

"The mayor tried to seize the land by claiming it was part of the road, which was terrible. But the appeals ruling was very clear, and now we can focus all our efforts on taking care of the historical site," she said.

Since the Van Gogh Institute confirmed this site as the location where the Dutch master painted his last masterpiece, the couple has welcomed visitors from all over the world , including Van Gogh's family. Those interested can take a 30-minute garden tour for 8 euros (approximately 230,000 VND).

The painting is currently on display at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The work is unfinished and, at first glance, could be mistaken for "a jumble of bright colors and bizarre abstract shapes," as the museum itself has stated.

However, the painting was described in a letter by Andries Bonger, Theo's brother-in-law and Vincent's younger brother, as follows: "The morning before he died, he painted a forest scene, full of light and life."

Mayor Mézières took to Facebook to express her outrage at the ruling, asserting that the site holds cultural significance and is a part of the history of the French town. She also pledged to appeal. Earlier in 2023, the mayor lost a case in local court.

"This place belongs to the people of Auvers!" she wrote. "Unbelievable, but true! We will continue to sue. There can be no compromise on the public interests of the people of Auvers for the sake of private interests."

The issue of ownership remains unresolved. The city itself has hired experts to assess the condition of these root systems and has called on the Ministry of Culture to intervene in order to preserve the heritage for the people of Auvers. These root systems are a common asset, not a commodity to be sold!

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cap-doi-phap-so-huu-khu-dat-danh-hoa-van-gogh-ve-buc-tranh-cuoi-cung-20250405131804761.htm