Deaths on March 30

Ryoei Saito, Japanese businessman (b. 1916)

Ryoei Saito (齊藤 了英, Saitō Ryōei, April 17, 1916 – March 30, 1996) was a prominent Japanese industrialist, best known for his role as the honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing, one of Japan's leading paper companies. While his professional life saw him at the helm of a major enterprise, it was his audacious and record-breaking forays into the international art market that truly etched his name into public memory. Saito became a global sensation in 1990, not just for his wealth, but for his willingness to spend unprecedented sums on masterpieces, significantly impacting the art world's perception of value and ownership.

The Unprecedented Art Acquisitions of 1990

In mid-May 1990, during a period often referred to as Japan's "bubble economy," Ryoei Saito captivated the world's attention with a spectacular display of purchasing power at consecutive auctions held by two of the most prestigious auction houses, Christie's and Sotheby's, in New York. These were not just any art purchases; they were history-making events that redefined the upper echelons of art valuation.

Breaking Records at Auction

At Sotheby's, Saito acquired Vincent van Gogh's poignant Portrait of Dr. Gachet for an astonishing $82.5 million. This artwork, one of Van Gogh's last and most introspective portraits, immediately became the most expensive painting ever sold at auction at the time, capturing the artist's intense emotional depth through its distinctive brushwork and melancholic hues. Hot on the heels of this purchase, at Christie's, he secured a smaller, vibrant version of Pierre-Auguste Renoir's beloved Impressionist masterpiece, Bal du moulin de la Galette, for $78.1 million. This lively depiction of a Sunday afternoon dance in Montmartre, Paris, showcasing Renoir's mastery of light and movement, simultaneously became the second most expensive painting ever sold.

These twin acquisitions were monumental, setting new benchmarks for the global art market. For years, these two paintings held the distinction as the most expensive artworks ever sold, whether through public auction or private transactions. When accounting for inflation, their record-setting prices stood unchallenged until 2006, when Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I was sold privately. It would take a full 25 years before Saito's public auction record was finally surpassed, by Pablo Picasso's Les Femmes d'Alger ("Version O") at Christie's in New York in May 2015, highlighting the enduring impact of his 1990 spree on art market history.

Controversy, Death, and the Mystery of the Lost Art

Ryoei Saito's life took a turn six years after his sensational art purchases when he passed away from a stroke on March 30, 1996. However, the story of his famous paintings continued to unfold in controversial and mysterious ways long after his death.

The Cremation Threat and Inheritance Taxes

In the early 1990s, Saito made headlines again, but this time for a shocking statement. After reportedly facing a colossal $24 million tax bill for his precious artworks, he publicly mused that it might be better to have the paintings cremated with him upon his death. This macabre suggestion, born from a desire to spare his children from the burden of immense future inheritance taxes on the multi-million dollar assets, sent shivers through the art community and sparked a global outcry. The idea that such irreplaceable masterpieces could be deliberately destroyed to avoid fiscal obligations was deeply disturbing to art lovers and institutions worldwide.

The Metropolitan Museum's Concern and the Paintings' Fate

Three years after Saito's passing, the uncertainty surrounding the fate of these iconic paintings reached a peak. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, seeking to include Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet in an exhibition, was unable to locate it. This failure, coupled with Saito's earlier controversial comments, led to widespread concern within the art world that both paintings might indeed have been destroyed or were irrevocably lost. The thought of two such significant pieces of art history vanishing fueled intense speculation and dismay.

It wasn't until 2007, more than a decade after Saito's death, that the mystery began to unravel publicly. It was revealed that Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet had been sold in either 1997 or 1998 to the Austrian-born investment fund manager Wolfgang Flöttl. The fate of Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette was also eventually clarified, showing that these masterpieces, despite the fears, had entered new collections rather than meeting the grim end suggested by their original owner. The entire episode underscored the often-complex interplay between art, wealth, national heritage, and the global art market.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ryoei Saito

Who was Ryoei Saito?

Ryoei Saito (1916–1996) was a prominent Japanese industrialist and honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing. He gained international fame for his record-breaking art purchases in 1990.

What famous artworks did Ryoei Saito purchase?

Ryoei Saito purchased Vincent van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet and a smaller version of Pierre-Auguste Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette.

How much did Ryoei Saito pay for the paintings?

He paid $82.5 million for Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet and $78.1 million for Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette in May 1990. These prices set world records for artworks sold at auction at the time.

What happened to Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet and Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette after Saito's death?

After his death, concerns arose that the paintings might have been cremated with him due to his earlier comments about avoiding inheritance taxes. However, it was later revealed that Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr. Gachet was sold in 1997 or 1998 to Wolfgang Flöttl, an investment fund manager. The Renoir also found a new owner.

Why did Ryoei Saito suggest cremating the paintings?

Saito made the controversial remark in the early 1990s, after reportedly having to pay $24 million in taxes for the artworks. He suggested it would be better to cremate them to avoid colossal death duties (inheritance taxes) for his children.