Mrs Van Gogh

The greatest untold story in the history of art.

Johanna was married to Vincent van Gogh’s brother Theo for less than two years before Vincent took his life. 

Theo died a few months later.

Johanna was a widow, looking after baby Vincent and trying to run a boarding house to stay alive.

She possessed 200 of Vincent’s paintings. 

Despite pressure from her family to get rid of them, she personally spent the rest of her life rescuing as many of Vincent’s painting as she could. 

She braved open mockery and abuse, taking Vincent’s paintings to the art salons to try to get them exhibited.   

She also translated the letters of Vincent and Theo from French to Dutch and then into English.

She organised the first major exhibition of Vincent’s painting in 1905.

Without Mrs Van Gogh, Vincent Van Gogh may never have become the most reproduced artist in the history of art.

This is Johanna’s story.