Three versions of the same painting?

Vincent van Gogh, Vrouwen plukken olijven, 1889. Basil P. and Elise Goulandris Collection Foundation, Athene. — Vincent van Gogh, *Women Picking Olives*, November 1889. Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation, Athens

Vincent van Gogh, De olijfgaard, 1889. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Chester Dale Collection — Vincent van Gogh, *Women Picking Olives*, December 1889. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Chester Dale Collection

Vincent van Gogh, Olijvenpluksters, 1889. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York — Vincent van Gogh, *Women Picking Olives*, december 1889. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Collection. Gift of Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg, 1995, Bequest of Walter H. Annenberg, 2002

Why did Van Gogh make three almost identical paintings of women picking olives?

Ansichtkaart met daarop een foto van vrouwen die olijven plukken in Fontvieille, ca. 1930. Privécollectie — Postcard of the olive harvest in Fontvieille, ca. 1930. Private collection

It wasn’t uncommon for Van Gogh to make multiple versions of paintings.

If he was pleased with a painting, he often made one or more copies.

One of these paintings was often for his brother Theo, to sell.

He sometimes also painted a version to give away, e.g. to his mother and sister. This meant that he could keep the original.

Discover the differences between Van Gogh’s three paintings of an olive grove with pickers: