This amazing Sultan of Morocco painting by Vincent van Gogh is part of an incredible story.
Mr. Koch sold this painting to my mother, and according to their notes from the transactions it is titled “The Moroccan,” and my mother was to contact “Gallery Van Nuys 13 Rue de Missionaire, Paris France – Madame Corne the Proprietor.” View the booklet on this painting below.
While researching van Gogh portrait style paintings on the Internet, we could find some paintings that bore slight resemblance to the style of our painting. There are limited paintings and drawings showing such detail to the folds of the fabric as seen in our painting. We eventually learned about a book by J-B de la Faille titled “The Works of Vincent van Gogh – His Paintings and Drawings,” which is considered the Catalogue Raisonee of van Gogh’s works. This book has has more than 700 pages and measures 14.6″ tall x 11″; wide (a BIG book). This book is also mentioned in the notes.
For comparison, we have taken photos of some artwork from the book showing styles similar to our painting. The artwork includes paintings, drawings, and sketches by van Gogh. We also included some Impressionist-style artworks to illustrate his different painting styles. You can also see how van Gogh often painted people with something on their head, e.g. a hat. You might be surprised to see how many bear similarities to our own painting.
- March 18, 1990 – Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum.
- Trying to prove – Heist done by Frederick R. Koch and John Olsen.
- December 21, 1990 – MARY Robinson Koch passes away.
- She is the mother of Frederick R. Koch. My mother’s name is also Mary.
- September 21, 1991 – Robert Donati is murdered by the mafia, because of art heist.
- October 7, 1991 – James Bourlet & Sons London warehouse art storage fire.
- Trying to prove Fire done by Frederick R. Koch and/or John Olsen.
- November 1991 – Stranger arrives in my mother’s (MARY) life and begins to sell her artwork. We still have some of the artwork and hand written notes between them.
- Trying to prove – this was Frederick R. Koch.
- February 1992 – My mother visits Sotheby’s they authenticate the Snowy Egret, Jane Peterson painting.
- March 1992 – Stranger departs in hospital scene with a newspaper obituary, but turns out he is alive.
- April 1992 – Sotheby’s signs contract with my mother on the Jane Peterson painting.
- 1994 Someone writes a letter to the museum trying to return the stolen artwork and claiming they have knowledge of international art transactions. My Miami research connects to a company called International Art Trading. They request to communicate through the newspaper.
- Trying to prove – Frederick R. Koch wrote this letter.
Suzanne has been actively making claims of solving the heist since June 21, 2012 and the fire January 24, 2011. To Robert Wittman and Julian Radcliffe. Discovered Mr. Koch was Frederick R. Koch August of 2010. So nearly 14 years…
