Van Gogh in

Van Wisselingh and Cottier

While living in London, Vincent van Gogh was acquainted with Elbert Jan van Wisselingh (1848–1912), who worked as an art dealer in the city with Daniel Cottier (1837–1891). Van Wisselingh was a Dutchman who, like Vincent, had trained with Goupil & Cie (in The Hague and Paris). Van Wisselingh and Cottier were business partners from 1874 until 1882, when they parted ways. Cottier remained in London, while Van Wisselingh moved to Paris and later Amsterdam.

Vincent visited the art dealers a few times while living in London. He wrote to his brother Theo in 1875 about Souvenir d’Amsterdam, a painting by Matthijs Maris (1839–1917), which he probably saw at Van Wisselingh and Cottier’s. After moving to Isleworth a year later, Vincent had to go into London one day and seized the opportunity to visit the gallery, where he saw sketches for the stained glass windows at St Andrew’s Church in Owslebury.

Vincent kept in touch with Van Wisselingh – one of the first people to sell his work – during various periods of his life. He wrote to his brother Theo that he considered Van Wisselingh a man of character with a sensitivity and understanding for art.