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Book SynopsisIt is so good, after so many years of public indifference, even hostility towards Vincent and his work, to feel towards the end of my life that the battle is won.' JO VAN GOGH-BONGER TO GUSTAVE COQUIOT, 1922It is a sacrifice for the sake of Vincent's glory.' JO VAN GOGH-BONGER ON THE SALE OF THE SUNFLOWERS' TO THE NATIONAL GALLERY, UK, 1924Little known but no less influential, Jo van Gogh-Bonger was sister-in-law of Vincent van Gogh, wife of his brother, Theo. When the brothers died soon after each other, she took charge of Van Gogh's artistic legacy and devoted the rest of her life to disseminating his work.Despite being widowed with a young son, Jo successfully navigated the male-dominated world of the art marketpublishing Van Gogh's letters, organizing exhibitions in the Netherlands and throughout the world, and making strategic sales to private individuals and influential dealersultimately establishing Van Gogh's reputation as one of the finest artists o
Trade Review[Luijten] presents a
fascinating and
detailed account of [Jo van Gogh-Bonger’s] astonishing life … [A]
magnificent tribute. -- Martin Bailey * The Art Newspaper *
Magisterial. . . . Luijten has produced the most significant addition to the Van Gogh literature in nearly forty years. * New Criterion *
Thorough … from which [Jo van Gogh-Bonger] emerges as both formidable and fascinating in her own right. * New Statesman *
Art historians say Luijten’s biography is a major step in what will be an ongoing reappraisal — not only of the source of van Gogh’s fame but also of the modern notion of what an artist is. For that, too, is something Jo helped to invent. * Russell Shorto, The New York Times *
Compelling … The book brings a remarkable woman to wider notice … The van Gogh brothers were inseparable, in life and death, but thanks to this author’s diligence, Jo now has her place alongside them. -- Michael Prodger * Country Life *
[A]
superb biography of the … extraordinary Jo van Gogh-Bonger. So much has been written on Vincent van Gogh that you wonder what more can be said. It turns out much more on the woman who was the early driving force behind the Dutch artist’s legacy. -- Jacqueline Riding * The Art Newspaper (Books of the Year) *
[An] important biography. -- Elizabeth Lowry * Times Literary Supplement *
This revelatory new biography portrays [Jo van Gogh Bonger] as a visionary woman, driven to shake the art world to the core, who took charge of van Gogh’s artistic legacy after the brothers’ deaths. It also sheds new light on the complex history of how public appreciation for the work of van Gogh the artist originated and grew. * The Bookseller *
An accessible, immensely researched and vital record of van Gogh-Bonger’s remarkable life … [Jo] ensured that Vincent’s talent and pieces lived on; now her own extraordinary work and legacy are highlighted in this
essential book from Luijten. -- Chloe Edwards * Buzz *
A
fascinating and copiously illustrated biography of van Gogh’s remarkable sister in law. -- John Green * Morning Star *
More than a literary biography... Jo’s life and her experiences in the international art world fascinate and enthral. * De Standaard *
This incredibly granular account of the life of Jo van Gogh-Bonger finally gives her the credit she deserves. . . . Inspiring. * Artnet *
All for Vincent captivates you. It is as if you are a personal witness to the story of a girl from Amsterdam who breaks free from her protective environment and grows into a strong and dedicated woman in a world that is dominated by men. * Trouw *
The book provides an ideal compliment to the letters and diaries, fleshing out what is, in the latter case for Jo, a rather fragmentary record, largely preoccupied with what she describes as, 'the mirror of my inner life'. Armed with all the archive material at his disposal, Mr Luijten expertly fills in the gaps using sources that include not only Jo's diaries, but [from] her son, Vincent Willum ... this reader can only recommend [the author's] book. * Journal of Curatorial Studies *
It’s massively important. [...] It shows that without Jo there would have been no van Gogh. * Steven Naifeh, author of the bestselling 'Van Gogh: The Life' (2011) and ‘Van Gogh and the Artists He Loved’ (2021) *
Table of ContentsIntroduction: ‘An Amsterdam girl’ Part One: A respectable middle-class family—the Bongers, 1862–88 1. A carefree childhood in a harmonious family 2. HBS and training as an English teacher 3. Translator, teacher and love for Eduard Stumpff
Part Two: Initiation into art—the Van Goghs, 1888–91 4. Prelude to her marriage to Theo van Gogh 5. Married life and motherhood in Paris 6. Life with the duality of Theo and Vincent
Part Three: Boarding house keeper with an attic full of art, 1891–1901 7. Back in the Netherlands—Villa Helma in Bussum 8. Contacts with Jan Veth, Jan Toorop and Richard Roland Holst 9. Playing with fire—Isaac Israëls
Part Four: Second marriage and concentrated promotion of Van Gogh’s work, 1901–5 10. Johan Cohen Gosschalk—Villa Eikenhof in Bussum 11. Reviewing books and promoting Van Gogh—back in Amsterdam
Part Five: Van Gogh goes from strength to strength, 1905–12 12. A magnificent exhibition in the summer of 1905 13. The art dealers Gaston Bernheim, Paul Cassirer and Johannes de Bois 14. Contracts for publication of Van Gogh’s letters
Part Six: Efforts for social democracy and publication of Van Gogh’s letters, 1912–25 15. The Sociaal-Democratische Arbeiderspartij (SDAP) 16. The publication of Brieven aan zijn broeder (Letters to his Brother) (1914) 17. New York-translations of the letters into English 18. A sacrifice for Vincent’s glory
Epilogue: ‘An exceptional example for women’ Notes Illustrations Abbreviations Bibliography Acknowledgements Index of Names and Titles
