Johanna van Gogh-Bonger

Johanna Bonger by Johan Cohen Gosschalk

Johanna Gezina van Gogh-Bonger (4 October 1862, Amsterdam – 2 September 1925, Amsterdam) was the wife of Theo van Gogh, art dealer, and the sister-in-law of the painter Vincent van Gogh and key player in the growth of Vincent's fame.

Work

After the death of Vincent and her husband she worked assiduously on editing the brothers' correspondence, producing the first volume in Dutch in 1914. She also played a key role in the growth of Vincent's fame and reputation through her donations of his work to various early retrospective exhibitions. She wrote a Van Gogh family history as well.

Johanna van Gogh stayed contact with Vincent van Gogh's friend Eugène Boch to whom she offered the painting portrait of Eugene Boch in July 1891. She also stayed in touch with Emile Bernard who helped her to promote Vincent van Gogh's paintings.

Letters

The legacy and renown of Vincent van Gogh the long-suffering artist began to spread in the years after his death; first in the Netherlands, and Germany and then throughout Europe. His friendship with his younger brother Theo was documented in numerous letters they exchanged from August 1872 onwards. Van Gogh-Bonger published the letters in three volumes in 1914. She also generously supported most of the early Van Gogh exhibitions with loans from the artist's estate. Johanna initially worked closely with German art dealers and publishers Paul Cassirer and his cousin Bruno to organize exhibitions of Van Gogh's paintings in Berlin and in 1914 to publish the first volume of the Letters to Theo. Publication of the letters helped spread the compelling mystique of Vincent van Gogh, the intense and dedicated painter who suffered for his art and died young, throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

Personal life

Johanna had one child, called Vincent Willem van Gogh and four grandchildren.

External links

• Johanna van Gogh-Bonger's memoir
• Memoir by her son.