This Woman Made Van Gogh Famous
The art world is incomplete without Vincent van Gogh and his story of posthumous fame. Yet, few know about the woman who brought his name to the forefronts of history. Who was she?
Vincent van Gogh was largely unrecognized during his lifetime. It was only after his death that his paintings, including the famous The Starry Night gained widespread acclaim.
This shift from obscurity to fame was the result of the dedicated efforts of Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, the widow of Vincent’s brother Theo. Johanna inherited Vincent’s vast collection of nearly 900 paintings and made it her life’s mission to have his genius recognized.
A Life Entwined with Genius
Vincent van Gogh’s life was marked by a passion for his art and a series of personal struggles.
Born in 1853, Vincent pursued painting with fervor. His most iconic pieces, such as The Starry Night and Sunflowers, were created in the latter part of his life, a period also characterized by mental health challenges. Despite his prolific output of over 2,000 artworks, comprising paintings and sketches, Vincent sold only a handful of pieces before his untimely death at the age of 37.
