Van Gogh in

Boussod, Valadon & Cie II

The art dealers Boussod, Valadon & Cie, known as Goupil & Cie until 1884, played an important role in the Van Goghs’ lives. Vincent’s uncle, also named Vincent van Gogh, had been a partner in the firm since 1861 and had founded the branch in The Hague. Vincent worked for Goupil in The Hague, London and Paris from 1869 to 1876, and his younger brother Theo worked for the firm from 1873 on.

While the creation and sale of reproductions comprised the core of its business, the firm also sold original works by prominent artists such as Léon Augustin Lhermitte, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Vittorio Matteo Corcos, Camille Corot, Claude Monet, Charles-François Daubigny and Adolphe Monticelli. It faced heavy competition in Paris in the likes of the Georges Petit and Durand-Ruel galleries.

From 1881, Theo was manager at the branch on Boulevard Montmartre in Paris: one of three locations in Paris. The head office was at No 9 rue Chaptal, where Vincent worked in the years 1875-76. There were two sales rooms at No 19 Boulevard Montmartre and No 2 Place de L’Opera. The establishment at Place de L’Opera must have been very beautiful and prestigious. When Vincent visited Paris in 1873, he went there and wrote about it:

“The Paris branch is splendid, and much larger than I’d imagined. Especially the Place de l’Opéra.–“ Read the complete letter