The Joy of Painting aired on PBS from 1983 to 1994, and found itself permanently nestled in our pop culture history. It became a reference for less-than-exciting entertainment, while offering a comforting, stress-free break for those who watched it. And it also opened up the world of art to those who never considered painting before. Bob Ross painted thousands of artworks, most retained by Bob Ross, Inc. and a few that are on the market. But one stands out from the rest.
A painting titled Walk in the Woods has been authenticated as the first artwork Ross painted while on TV. It was produced during the first episode of The Joy of Painting that aired in 1983. Ross normally did three versions of each painting produced for an episode of the show, but this one was really painted on camera. It was acquired by Minnesota dealer Modern Artifact and is offered for $9,850,000. Read the provenance of Walk in the Woods and see that first episode of The Joy of Panting at Mental Floss.