Geishas in a Landscape - painted by van Gogh into the background of the Courtauld's celebrated Self-Portrait with a Bandaged Ear - was one of the artist's favourite prints and was pinned up with others on the walls of his studio in the Yellow House in Arles. On van Gogh's death, this and another print passed to his physician Dr Gachet whose son Paul sold them to a Paris dealer in 1957. Both were donated to the Courtauld by the art historian Douglas Cooper but Geishas in a Landscape (that has little intrinsic value but is of great art historical importance) was stolen in 1981.
From February 7 to March 31, the Institute will be displaying a photograph of the missing print beside the Self-Portrait with a Bandaged Ear in the hope that it may be rediscovered and returned. Pictured right is a photograph of the 2ft by 17in (60 x 43cm) print (published c.1870-1880 by Sato Torakiyo) that shows distinctive damage to the corners caused by the frequent use of drawing pins.
