-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
The Correspondence of Theo Van Gogh and Jo Bonger (Cahier Vincent, No. 7.)
by Theo Van Gogh
The happiness of Theo van Gogh (1857-1891) and Jo van Gogh-Bonger (1862-1925) was to last less than two years.
After some initial hesitation on Jo's part, they became a couple in December 1888, and were separated by Theo's mental breakdown in early October 1890. His death in January 1891 brought their life together to an end. Their correspondence, comprising 101 letters, is kept in the Van Gogh Museum and presents an endearing picture of two young people planning the necessary arrangements for their life together in Paris. They discuss finding an apartment, purchasing household goods, and the style of the interior decorations in their new home.
The correspondence also offers a unique picture of the views of a man who played an important role in the Parisian art world of the 1880s. Theo, and his brother Vincent, amassed a great number of works which are now the core of the Van Gogh Museum collection. Finally, we are given more information about Theo's life as an art dealer in Paris, his dealings with other artists and prominent figures in artistic circles, and the vicissitudes in the fortunes of Vincent van Gogh.
Media reviews not yet available.
This information about Brief Happiness was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Theodorus van Gogh was a Dutch art dealer and the younger brother of Vincent van Gogh. Known as Theo, his support of his older brother's artistic ambitions and well-being allowed Vincent to devote himself entirely to painting.
If you liked Brief Happiness, try these:
by Sacha Bronwasser
Published 2025
A twisty, slow-burn mystery set in Paris and the Netherlands that has become a Dutch sensation.
The Gallery of Miracles and Madness
by Charlie English
Published 2021
The untold story of Hitler's war on "degenerate" artists and the mentally ill that paved the way for the Holocaust.
by Deborah Heiligman
Published 2019
From the author of National Book Award finalist Charles and Emma comes an incredible story of brotherly love.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
