The popular weekly blog "Adventures with Van Gogh" has reached a significant milestone, publishing its 300th post since its launch in 2018. The blog, which has become a go-to resource for Van Gogh enthusiasts worldwide, recently compiled its most-read articles since February 2023, when it previously highlighted its top ten posts for the 200th edition. The latest compilation reveals fascinating insights into what captivates readers most about the Dutch master, with topics ranging from predictable auction records to surprising geological discoveries.

Topping the list of most-read posts is an analysis of Van Gogh's ten most expensive paintings ever sold at auction. The fascination with how an artist who failed to sell his work during his lifetime has become one of the art market's biggest names continues to intrigue readers. Leading the price list is "Orchard with Cypresses," painted in Arles in April 1888, which sold for $117 million at Christie's in 2022. This astronomical figure represents the highest price ever paid for a Van Gogh painting at auction.

The second most popular post explored an unexpectedly quirky subject: the geological features near the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum where Van Gogh spent a year outside Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The artist painted a distinctive ridge in Les Alpilles (the Little Alps) that features two natural holes weathered through the limestone. This strange sight appears in "The Olive Trees" from June 1889, now housed at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Many people mistakenly assume Van Gogh imagined these curious voids during his mental illness, but the two holes actually exist and can still be seen today.

The third most-read post addressed one of the most contentious debates in art history: whether Van Gogh died by suicide or murder. Blog author Martin Bailey, a leading Van Gogh specialist, presents ten compelling reasons why he believes it was suicide, contradicting recent theories suggesting murder. His most persuasive argument centers on the fact that everyone around Van Gogh at the time believed he took his own life. Bailey argues that if those close to the artist had suspected foul play, they certainly would have raised concerns with authorities.

Another highly popular post examined "Starry Night over the Rhône," painted in September 1888 during Van Gogh's productive period in Arles, Provence. The analysis offers readers insight into the artist's life and work by comparing the actual location where the painting was created with the finished artwork now displayed at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. This comparison reveals what elements came from Van Gogh's direct observation versus what emerged from his artistic imagination.

Readers were also fascinated by the story of Marina Picasso, one of Pablo Picasso's granddaughters, who quietly purchased a Van Gogh work after receiving a substantial inheritance from her famous ancestor. In 1987, she acquired the early watercolor "Woman in a Wood" from September-October 1882. Her ownership only became public knowledge when she sold the piece at Sotheby's in May, where it fetched nearly $1 million.

The blog also explored the often-overlooked topic of how Van Gogh's paintings are framed in modern exhibitions. Most current owners display Van Gogh works in ornate gold frames, but this contradicts the artist's own preferences. Van Gogh favored simple wooden framing, believing it worked best with his paintings. The recent exhibition "Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers" at London's National Gallery, which closed on January 19, provided compelling examples of how different framing choices subtly impact viewers' experience of the artwork.

Another popular post detailed the remarkable coincidence of two hospital paintings that ended up in the same collection. After Van Gogh mutilated his ear, he was hospitalized in Arles, where he remained for most of the time before transferring to an asylum in May 1890. The only two paintings he created of the hospital both eventually belonged to Swiss collector Oskar Reinhart from Winterthur, who later established a museum with his collection. Both works were loaned to London's Courtauld Gallery for an exhibition that closed last May, marking their first journey outside Switzerland in a century.

The blog also highlighted "The Red Vineyard" from November 1888, which holds the distinction of being the only painting Van Gogh is certain to have sold during his lifetime. Purchased at a Brussels exhibition in March 1890 for the equivalent of $16, the work was later acquired in 1909 by Moscow collector and textile factory owner Ivan Morozov. After being seized following the communist revolution, the painting underwent recent conservation and is now housed at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.

Additional popular posts covered surprising discoveries from the National Gallery's acclaimed "Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers" exhibition, including a grasshopper found embedded in paint, a painting owned by Louis Vuitton, artwork created on a tea towel, a self-portrait that once hung in Regent's Park, and a work belonging to casino magnate Steve Wynn. The blog also explored Van Gogh's fascination with Japanese prints, particularly the work of Hiroshige, which inspired paintings like "Flowering Plum Orchard" from October-November 1887.

In other Van Gogh-related news, Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum faces potential closure unless the Dutch government provides additional funding for building upgrades. Director Emilie Gordenker warns that without adequate funding, the museum cannot guarantee the safety of its collection, visitors, and staff. The institution plans to take the culture ministry to court in February, arguing that the government is breaching a 1962 agreement with the Van Gogh family. Meanwhile, London's National Gallery has opened "Millet: Life on the Land," featuring "L'Angelus" from 1859, a painting Van Gogh greatly admired and referenced in eleven of his letters.