If $44,000 is $1000 less than five times more than he had made on his previous painting, then $44,000+$1000 = $45,000 is five times what he made on his previous painting.
If $45,000 is five times what he made for his previous painting, then he made $45,000/5 = $<<45000/5=9000>>9,000 for selling his previous painting.
#### 9,000