Is a painting bought for $50 at a Minnesota garage sale by Van Gogh?
MINNEAPOLIS — A priceless piece of history was plucked from a bargain bin in a Minnesota garage. At least, that's what a group of experts say after spending years studying this painting.
The LMI Group, an art research firm out of New York, believes a painting bought in 2016 for about $50 at a Minnetonka garage sale is a Van Gogh masterpiece entitled "Elimar."
The group bought the painting, dated from 1889, which could be worth $15 million.
A team of historians and scientists with the LMI Group say they've authenticated the oil-on-canvas painting that depicts a man puffing a pipe at a beach.
A critical clue: a single hair scrutinized by a team of specialists for DNA.
The result is inconclusive because of time and environmental exposure, but the presence of DNA belonging to a man was detected.
That's one of the reasons the group of specialists believe "Elimar" was painted by the Dutch master.