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Lovers to friends: the intimate story of Van Gogh's sister-in-law and the artist Isaac Israëls
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The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
For well over a century it was a family secret: Vincent van Gogh’s sister-in-law, Jo Bonger, had a short relationship with the Dutch Impressionist painter Isaac Israëls.
Israëls, Portrait of Jo van Gogh-Bonger (1895) and Self-portrait wearing a black Hat (1894-98) Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)Captivated by Vincent: The Intimate Friendship of Jo van Gogh-Bonger and Isaac Israëls (until 25 January 2026) is not just about the relationship, but equally importantly it covers its impact of Van Gogh's art on Israëls.
Isaac Israëls (1865–1934), the son of the distinguished artist Jozef Israëls (1824-1911), first met Bonger briefly in September 1889 through her newly-married husband Theo van Gogh, Vincent’s brother.
In the background Israëls added a fuzzy picture, which appears to represent the strong blue sky of Van Gogh’s The Yellow House.
Israëls, Portrait of Jo van Gogh-Bonger (1926), with the deep blue sky of Van Gogh’s The Yellow House in the background Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)Israëls died in 1934.
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