Mrs Van Gogh: The breathtaking historical novel inspired by the true story of the woman who made Van Gogh famous

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I want to say while reading this novel, I truly felt the agony and ecstasy of Mrs Van Gogh and Vincent’s profound struggles. As Aristotle once said: ‘there is no great genius without a touch of madness’. True, it seems, in this artist’s case. But knowing or not knowing the person he might have been, does not keep me from appreciating his amazing artwork. The triumph is in the fact that his glorious paintings and drawings are still available for the world to see, thanks in part to this woman’s efforts. Johanna preserved them and persisted to expose these priceless treasures to the world and, as a result, generations have been touched by Vincent Van Gogh’s creative wonder. When Jo, as she is known, visits her brother in Paris for the summer, she experiences something new. Her brother is part of the Parisian artistic circle, and introduces Jo to Van Gogh brothers. Theo is a successful art dealer, where on the other hand, Vincent is a penniless artist. Johanna is a very admirable character. She is an intellectual. She loves reading novels and has a passion for art. She is a very strong-willed woman and is determined to live her life according to her own terms. I loved her romance with her husband, Theo. It was a very sweet relationship. I also admired her friendship with her brother-in-law, Vincent. She emphasizes with him as he makes his descent into madness. However, she sees his talent and potential for greatness. Thus, her relationship with the Van Goh brothers was the best aspect of this novel. Despite this she does develop Vincent in such a way to show the complex character he was. I, like the Johanna in the novel, initially didn’t like the Vincent portrayed but eventually came to understand why he was like he was and in the end I had sympathy and empathy for him.

Brings to vivid life an extraordinary woman… will appeal to all lovers of historical fiction. A story that deserves to be told and widely known.” Essie Fox What is the Genre of Mrs Van Gogh by Caroline Cauchi? Johanna, Vincent Van Gogh’s sister-in-law, wrote in her sketchbook just days after arriving in Paris, that she’d “hate to reach the end of her life and to never have achieved something that was great or even remarkable!” After reading this book, I think you’ll agree with me: she became one of the greatest art dealers to have lived. She single-handedly sold 195 of his paintings and 55 drawings, including his Sunflowers, to London’s National Gallery in 1924. Eleven years later, his work was being exhibited around the world and his reputation as a great artist was established. Ma non è Vincent Van Gogh il protagonista, la protagonista del romanzo è infatti una donna ingiustamente sconosciuta, che ha svolto un ruolo fondamentale nel riconoscimento postumo di Vincent. È grazie a Johanna Bonger se i quadri di Van Gogh non sono finiti nel dimenticatoio. Lei, donna di fine ottocento, è stata una dei pochi ad aver compreso il talento di Vincent e ad aver lottato assiduamente perché questo fosse riconosciuto anche dagli altri. Ha cambiato il corso della storia dell'arte ed è a stento nominata nei libri.Johanna is a disgraced woman, after being caught having relations with another teacher at the exclusive schol where she taught (whilst he is largely unaffected and allowed to continue teaching!). She is sent to Paris under the care of her brother Dries, whilst her parents consider which rich widower they could marry her off to to deflect the shame she has inflicted on their family. Bonger also cannily promoted sales of some Van Gogh works, dispersing pieces to private collections and later to museums—and thereby raising his profile. Although Bonger’s minimal experience of the art world all came from her brief marriage to Theo, who was a dealer, Luijten records that she “learned to play the market shrewdly”. Dries is more sympathetic and encourages his sister to pursue her love art whilst in Paris and introduces her to some of the most famous artists of the era, incluisng Gaughin, Camille Claudel, Rodin and Vincent Van Gogh, as well as his wealthy art dealer brothrr Theo.

For Johanna, the chance to spend time in Paris, amongst the up and coming artists, and especially the female artists was a wonderful opportunity that she grasped with both hands. Outspoken and not afraid to say and do exactly what she thought, she soon became part of the Paris scene. Visiting clubs and bars where she saw sights that she couldn't have imagined and met people who inspired and excited her. A] brilliantly fictionalized account of the life of a woman who the world needs to know better” Lit Hub He’s one of the most progressive painters alive. He has to keep painting,’ he says. ‘He forces us to surrender conventional ideas when viewing h a b Luijten, Hans. Jo van Gogh-Bonger: The Woman who Made Vincent Famous. Translated by Lynne Richards. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts 2022. ISBN 978-1350299580. Another example of how women were perceived in this patriarchal world is the attempts of Johanna’s parents to find her a husband, Johanna feels like a commodity to be bargain over.Overall, this novel is about art, love, and family. I found all of the characters to be very fascinating. As much as I liked the characters, the novel was not without flaws. I thought that this book was very slow and repetitive. I also thought that after the Van Goh brothers died, the rest of the story was rushed. Even though it was a long book, it needed to be to flesh out the latter parts of Johanna’s life. Still, I found this novel to be meticulously researched and was very well-written. I liked how the setting focused on the art world of Paris, and it made me feel as if I was walking with Johanna along the Parisian streets. Thus, this novel is a must-read for art lovers! I recommend this novel for fans of Rodin’s Lover , The Other Alcott , and Ophelia’s Muse ! Claire Cooperstein, Johanna. A Novel of the Van Gogh Family. New York: Scribner Book Company 1995 ISBN 9780684802343 After Vincent's death, Theo organized an exhibition of his brother's paintings in their Montmartre apartment in Paris. Theo's health collapsed after Vincent's death, which was attributed at the time to his profound grief. Jo attempted to have Theo moved to the Netherlands for treatment, but exigent circumstances made that impossible. She did persuade a Dutch physician, Frederik van Eeden, to come to Paris to attempt treatment using hypnosis. While there Van Eeden viewed Vincent's paintings in Jo and Theo's apartment and wrote glowingly about them. In return, Jo gifted him a version of The Sower, which he showed to friends and wrote about. "Jo had successfully planted the first Van Gogh seed in the Netherlands". [11] With her husband's death six months after Vincent's, Van Gogh-Bonger was determined to carry on her husband's efforts to establish Vincent's importance as an artist, but she also worked to demonstrate her husband's crucial role in supporting Vincent's life as an artist. The pace is slow throughout this interesting read. The story is based on some true facts and events. This is a traumatic account of the lives of Vincent and his brother Theo Van Gogh. the story can be quite depressing at times. It was a little repetitive in the first half of the book. The book could easily have been a bit shorter. It covers mental health, physical illness, love and loss. It has also been descriptively written. Joanna Van Gogh was a remarkable woman.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an art historian, I am a lover of art and have read biographies of artists of interest to me. I happen to be a lover of Vincent Van Gogh's work and have read enough to know something of his sister-in-law Johanna and how she was instrumental in bringing Vincent’s work to the public. Vincent Van Gogh died in 1890, penniless and unknown. Eleven years later his work is exhibited in Paris and finally he is recognised for the great talent he was and goes on to become one of the worlds most renown artists. All the result of the tireless efforts of one woman, Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, the wife of Vincent’s brother, Theo Van Gogh, and the custodian of Vincent’s immense collection of letters, sketches and paintings. Mrs Van Gogh is her story. I’m at a loss for words. I’ve stepped into a world where madness and art seem to hold hands to dance. I’m not sure I know how to exist here.’

I am a fan of historical fiction and thought from the description of this book it may be something I’d enjoy, although it’s fair to say I don’t really know much about Vincent Van Gogh or his brother Theo. The only grief I actually feel is for my uncertain future and the fear that my parents will sell me to the next highest bidder.’