Minneapolis gallery selling Bob Ross' 1st work from "Joy of Painting" for $10M, plus shipping
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis art gallery is offering collectors the opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind piece by the late Bob Ross.
Ross, of course, was the smooth-voiced host of "The Joy of Painting," a public broadcast show that invited everyone to paint, regardless of their skill set.
Modern Artifact, a north Minneapolis gallery, is selling the very first piece Ross ever finished on "The Joy of Painting." Titled "A Walk in the Woods," the gallery calls it "the most historically significant Bob Ross original painting ever created." The 24x18 painting, signed by Ross, was completed in episode one of "The Joy of Painting" in 1983.
The gallery lists the painting for $9.85 million — but you'll also be paying $150 in shipping and an estimated $790,000 in taxes.
The work was acquired by Modern Artifact earlier this year. Before that, it was owned by a one-time volunteer at the Falls Church, Virginia PBS station where the first season of "The Joy of Painting" was aired. The volunteer bought it in November of 1983 at a station fundraising auction, just months after it was painted. It has been verified as authentic by Bob Ross Inc.
"It's a truly irreplicable, one-of-a-kind painting," Modern Artifact owner Ryan Nelson said. "Ideally, we would like to share it with a museum or traveling exhibit to allow as many people as possible to view such an exciting work of art."
You can watch Ross paint "A Walk in the Woods" on YouTube, or click here to see the listing.