Jo van Gogh-Bonger

The Woman Who Saved Vincent van Gogh's Art from Obscurity

Vincent van Gogh is practically a household name. However, despite him being a prolific artist known globally for his vivid colors, unique use of brushstrokes, and intense emotionality in his paintings, there was a very real possibility of him falling into obscurity after his death in 1890 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the French village of Auvers-sur-Oise. His contemporaries viewed him as a demented figure with no talent. Had it not been for Vincent’s sister-in-law Jo van Gogh-Bonger, the world might never have heard of him.

Sadly, few know of Jo van Gogh-Bonger and the role she played in preserving Vincent van Gogh’s legacy. Author Joan Fernandez tells Jo’s story through fiction in her new biographical novel, Saving Vincent. I had the opportunity to read an advance copy and found myself fascinated with Jo’s audacious goal to make the world love Vincent's art.

The novel opens in 1891 in Paris, a year after Vincent van Gogh’s death. Jo Bonger is married to Vincent’s brother, Theo. Theo, however, is in an asylum in the Netherlands. A struggling art trader, he’s suffering from mental infirmities Jo suspects may be related to Vincent’s violent death by suicide. Theo was with Vincent when he died, and his passing left Theo bereft. (Unbeknownst to Jo at the time, Theo was also suffering from late-stage syphilis.)

In Theo’s absence, Jo is left to raise their son, Vincentje. She finds herself unsure at every turn. When she receives word that Theo has suddenly died, her world shatters. Not only is Jo now a widow, Theo has also left her with little money. She must find a way to support herself and her son.

Life isn’t easy for widows in 19th century Paris. In Jo’s possession, however, are paintings Vincent van Gogh left to Theo, which are now hers. She decides to sell them to secure an inheritance for her son. But when she contacts art dealers, they turn her away. The art world considers Vincent van Gogh’s artwork worthless. (Below: van Gogh’s “The Potato Eaters,” 1885, in the public domain.)

Thus begins Jo’s decades-long journey to market and sell Vincent van Gogh’s artwork. The road ahead proves difficult. Vincent’s post-impressionist style is too new, too avant garde. No one sees what a brilliant, soulful artist Vincent van Gogh was. Jo, however, does.

So who was Jo van Gogh-Bonger?

Johanna (Jo) Bonger was born in 1862 into a middle-class family in the Netherlands. She is said to have had a carefree childhood. Music played a prominent role in her family, and Jo played the piano. She read extensively and started recording her thoughts in a journal when she was 17, which she kept until she was 34. (For those interested, her journal entries are available to the public here.) Below is an image of Jo in 1889.

After completing her secondary education, Jo studied English, then taught at a girls’ boarding school and later a secondary school for girls in the Netherlands. When she married Theo van Gogh, the couple moved to Paris, where their son Vincentje was born in 1890.

Upon Theo’s death, Jo lived in Paris for a time, then moved back to the Netherlands, where she opened a boarding house as a means to support her and her son while she essentially functioned as Vincent van Gogh’s agent, promoting and creating demand for his work. Several years after returning to her home country, she married Johan Cohen Gosschalk, a Dutch jurist and graphic artist.

Not only did Jo publicize and sell van Gogh’s artwork, in 1914, she also published his letters to Theo, showing what a savvy promoter she was. On a personal level, she became politically active when she joined the socialist movement in the Netherlands.

To reveal more about Jo here would spoil the novel for you, other than to say Jo died in 1925 from Parkinson’s disease. Upon her death, her son inherited various van Gogh paintings Jo could not bear to part with, and he turned Jo’s home into a museum to showcase the art. (Below: “Two Poplars in the Alpilles near Saint Remy” by Vincent van Gogh, 1889.)

Even if you aren’t a fan of Vincent van Gogh’s work, you will appreciate Fernandez’s stunning depiction of Jo van Gogh-Bonger. Her immersive rendering of Jo’s thoughts and trials places readers immediately at Jo’s side. I couldn’t put the book down. I kept wondering, why doesn’t the world know as much about Jo van Gogh-Bonger as they do about Vincent van Gogh? I contacted Joan Fernandez to get her perspective, and she responded in writing to my questions.

Question: Why do you think Jo van Gogh-Bonger was lost to history for so long?

“Many people in the art world were fully aware of Jo when she was alive, for she continued exhibiting and negotiating sales of Van Gogh works up until her death in 1925. However, in a field dominated by men, the contributions of women, especially in behind-the-scenes roles like Jo’s, were routinely overlooked and under-appreciated. Plus this work of managing the collection, organizing exhibitions, etc., while essential, doesn’t have the same level of recognition as the artist himself.” Fernandez also feels societal bias ultimately contributed to Jo’s identity being eclipsed. (Below: Joan Fernandez)

Question: What do you hope to accomplish by telling Jo’s story through fiction?

“While the story is based on fact, I was drawn to fiction so that I could bring Jo's story to life through imagined dialogue, motives, and scenes. Each of the fictional elements, however, is grounded in fact. I also drew insights from reading letters and diaries in order to put the characters on the page with integrity. Importantly, in my research, I found that Jo did not have a singular enemy but several individuals who created a headwind against her efforts. As a result, I created a fictional antagonist, a Parisian art dealer, as an aggregate of Jo's opposition. My hope is that readers can feel the extent of the ongoing antagonism and resistance Jo encountered.”

What do you hope readers never forget about Jo after reading Saving Vincent?

“That without Jo, the world would not have Vincent van Gogh, a beloved international and inspiring artist. But also to wonder what other individuals—especially women and marginalized people—have been written out of history. I believe that knowing the persistence and determination of historical, unsung heroes empowers all marginalized people to see themselves as agents of change. Leadership and genius do not come from a single segment of society but from across it.”

I agree with Fernandez. Jo van Gogh-Bonger’s story deserves to be told for two very important reasons. One, she obviously played a significant role in ensuring Vincent van Gogh’s legacy was not buried along with him. Without her, the world would have been denied one of history’s greatest artists. Second, history has overlooked far too many women. By bringing their stories to light, we honor their contributions while also inspiring modern women to be bold enough to make their mark. (Below: Jo Bonger, 1905, painted by her second husband, Johan Cohen Gosschalk. Image in the public domain.)