Meet unsung hero who turned Van Gogh into global icon

The woman largely responsible for transforming Vincent van Gogh from a struggling artist into a worldwide icon is set to take center stage in a new exhibition in Amsterdam. 

Jo van Gogh-Bonger, a quietly influential figure in art history, will be the focus of a new exhibition at Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, named after her famous brother-in-law, the Dutch Post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. The show commemorates the 100th anniversary of her death and highlights her pivotal role in establishing Vincent’s posthumous fame, Caliber.Az reports via Artnet.

Though Vincent van Gogh struggled for recognition during his lifetime and only became widely celebrated after his death, much of the credit for his enduring legacy belongs to Van Gogh-Bonger. When she married Theo van Gogh—Vincent’s brother and art dealer—she knew Theo was supporting the troubled artist. After Vincent’s death in 1890, the couple inherited his vast collection of about 400 paintings and numerous drawings.

Following Theo’s death just 21 months later, Van Gogh-Bonger was left to care for their young son and the monumental task of preserving and promoting Vincent’s art. Their efforts laid the groundwork for the global recognition Vincent enjoys today. The brothers are buried side by side in Auvers-sur-Oise, near Paris, where Vincent spent his final days.

The exhibition also features works by Dutch painter Isaac Israëls, who developed a close friendship with Van Gogh-Bonger after her husband’s death. She loaned Israëls several Van Gogh pieces that inspired him deeply. Between 1915 and 1920, Israëls incorporated images of Van Gogh’s paintings into at least 17 of his own works and famously used Vincent’s name as a verb. “I’m still very busy Vincenting,” he wrote to Van Gogh-Bonger in one of over 100 letters held by the museum, now being published digitally.

Hans Luijten, Van Gogh-Bonger’s biographer, emphasized Israëls’s fascination with both Jo and Vincent’s work, reflected in his candid and lively correspondence. Diary excerpts from Van Gogh-Bonger will also be displayed, offering further insight into their relationship.

The exhibition showcases Israëls’s Van Gogh-inspired paintings, his 1894 portrait of the young Vincent, and a newly restored portrait of Jo van Gogh-Bonger herself. After decades in the shadows, Jo van Gogh-Bonger is finally receiving recognition for her vital role in shaping the legacy of one of history’s most beloved artists.

By Naila Huseynova