But twenty-eight year old Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, Vincent's sister-in-law and the keeper of his immense collection of paintings, sketches and letters, has, until now, been written out of history. Author Caroline Cauchi details the time before and during Theo's and Jo's courtship through their very brief marriage and early deaths of both young men. It does probably divert so far from historical truth as to irritate knowledgeable Van Gogh fans, but as historical fiction I found it to be an entertaining read. Her story begins with her ambitions, which quickly are put aside, then the story progresses with her marriage and friendship with Vincent.

To give you some insight into where my opinion comes from, you need to know that I’m a Van Gogh fan, I'm not an artist. Although a work of fiction, this extremely well written novel has introduced me to one of the most important female figures in the history of art. Historische context is realistisch, Parijs aan het eind van de 19e eeuw waarin de positie van de vrouw ondergeschikt was in alles. After Vincent’s death and then Theo’s six months later she became the owner of most of Vincent’s artwork including paintings, sketches and his letters. It’s a massive undertaking and Caroline does it with such poise and panache that it truly is one of the most remarkable fictional narratives I have read.

The story shows the deterioration of Vincent’s sanity, and how it effected those around him, alongside Jo’s struggles within her family and also the views of the world she lived in.

HERstory: Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger: a creative and critical exploration of the role a woman played in Vincent van Gogh's rise to fame. Formerly a largely unknown and marginalized figure, she is the subject of a new, full-length biography by major Van Gogh scholar Hans Luijten, [3] and her life is now a focus in popular culture.la prima cosa che mi ha colpito di questo libro è la cura nella descrizione dei dettagli di quegli anni precedenti alla belle époque ma che ne anticipano l’avvento.

Caroline has written 9 novels, including the modern day fairy tale "The Drowning of Arthur Braxton," which was subsequently made into a feature film that won Best UK feature at the Raindance Film Festival.First off – the book is written in the present tense and first person which allows the author to put thoughts and words into the mouth of people dead and gone. They did finally go ahead and wed, making a prenuptial agreement that the property they brought into the marriage would remain separate. Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, or Jo, was born in an era when women had few rights or means by which to earn a living. 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. Andries has many connections within the art world of Paris, male and female, and is more than happy to introduce and show off his sister.

The story is written from Jo's perspective, from the time she arrives in Paris to live with her brother, to just a few short years later when she makes it her mission to promote her brother-in-law's art so that he becomes world-renowned. Da estimatrice di Van Gogh non potevo esimermi, e infatti sono venuta a conoscenza di molte cose, alcune anche un po' scomode.Theo was determined that Vincent's art would be exhibited, and that he would become famous, but events overtook the couple and Theo was never to see this happen. However, beyond the bare essentials of his close connection to his brother Theo, his unfortunate self-destructive behavior (ear mutilation), and his careless social habits in a pre-penicillin milieu, I learned little else about his personal life situation.