EDTIORIAL REVIEW
HISTORICAL
4.5 STARS
In Saving Vincent, Joan Fernandez presents a vivid and powerful portrait of Jo Van Gogh-Bonger, a largely overlooked yet vital figure in the legacy of Vincent Van Gogh. This gripping biography takes readers from Jo's early days as a widowed young mother, left with her husband Theo’s and Vincent’s artworks and letters, to her ultimate triumph in transforming Vincent from an obscure artist into a revered master.
Jo, a figure of quiet determination and passion, defied societal expectations for women of her era. After Theo's untimely death, she resisted her family's pressures to return home and instead devoted herself to preserving and promoting Vincent’s work. Through her shrewd business acumen, Jo orchestrated exhibitions and controlled the supply of his paintings, eventually ensuring his recognition as one of the greatest artists of all time.
Fernandez masterfully weaves together Jo’s personal and professional struggles. From the bitter opposition of Georges Raulf—a fictional composite of the real-life enemies Jo faced in the art world—to her relentless efforts in publishing Vincent’s letters, Jo's journey is both moving and inspiring. Fernandez doesn’t shy away from the complexities of Jo’s character, capturing her moments of doubt, flashes of anger, and even her personal relationships, including an affair with artist Isaac Israels.
The crowning moment of Jo’s efforts is the 1905 Stedelijk Museum exhibition, where Vincent’s once-forgotten works were celebrated. Saving Vincent is not just a biography but a testament to Jo’s unwavering dedication and resilience. Through this engrossing narrative, Fernandez sheds light on the woman who made Vincent Van Gogh a household name, showcasing her as the unsung heroine of his legacy.
For historical fiction fans of women’s untold true stories, an early twentieth century novel about Jo van Gogh who battled the male-dominated art elite in her fifteen-year crusade to save her genius brother-in-law Vincent from obscurity.
In the tradition of The Paris Bookseller and Her Hidden Genius, the story of a real woman overshadowed in history by the giant talent she saved, Vincent van Gogh.
How did a failed belligerent Dutch painter become one of the greatest artists of our time?
In 1891, timid Jo van Gogh Bonger lives safely in the background of her art dealer husband Theo’s passionate work to sell unknown artists, especially his ill-fated dead brother Vincent. When Theo dies unexpectedly, Jo’s brief happiness is shattered. Her inheritance—hundreds of unsold paintings by Vincent—is worthless. Pressured to move to her parents’ home, Jo defies tradition, opening a boarding house to raise her infant son alone, and choosing to promote Vincent’s art herself. But her ingenuity and persistence draw the powerful opposition of a Parisian art dealer who vows to stop her once and for all, and so sink Vincent into obscurity.
Saving Vincent reveals there was more than one genius in the Van Gogh family.
Comentários