Alphonse Portier (1841–1902) was a Paris dealer who sold works by artists such as Auguste Renoir, Johan Barthold Jongkind, Paul Cézanne and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec from his apartment at 54 Rue Lepic. In 1885, when Theo showed him a sketch of The Potato Eaters, he was one of the first to respond positively to Vincent’s creations. From then on, Vincent …
After Vincent arrived in Paris in February 1886, he worked mostly in and around his own neighbourhood of Montmartre but this changed in the spring of 1887. From then on, he frequently went to paint and draw in Asnières, a village on the banks of the Seine six kilometres north of Paris that was a popular spot for day trips …
Vincent met Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901) while studying at Fernand Cormon’s studio, and the two men became friends. Toulouse-Lautrec’s studio was on the corner of Rue Tourlaque and Rue Calaincourt, near Vincent and Theo’s flat. Vincent often went to the weekly artists’ gatherings Toulouse-Lautrec held at his home. The artist Suzanne Valadon (1865–1938), Toulouse-Lautrec’s lover, recalled: “I can recall Van …
Vincent admired the work of Georges Seurat (1859–1891), whom he met at the exhibition he organised at Restaurant du Chalet in November and December 1887. Just before leaving for Arles on 19 February 1888, Vincent visited Seurat in his studio on Boulevard de Clichy for the first time, together with his brother Theo. He probably saw the large paintings A …
Vincent was acquainted with the Australian artist John Peter Russell (1858-1930) at Fernand Cormon’s open studio, where he took lessons in spring 1886. They became friends and Russell painted a portrait of Vincent in his studio at 15 Impasse Hélène. The artist Archibald Standish Hartrick, a friend of Vincent’s, said it was the best likeness he knew of – better …
In Paris, Vincent became friends with the Impressionist Armand Guillaumin (1841–1927), whom he greatly admired as an artist and a person. Vincent regularly visited Guillaumin in his studio at 13 Quai d’Anjou, which had formerly belonged to Charles-François Daubigny. Years later, Vincent reminded Theo of their visit tto the studio: “Wasn’t it pleasant at Guillaumin’s last winter — finding the …
In Paris, Vincent befriended the artist Émile Bernard (1868–1941), who was 15 years younger than him. They met in the spring of 1886 at Fernand Cormon’s studio and ran into each other again that autumn at Julien Tanguy’s art supply shop. Bernard recalled: “When he popped out of the back room with that high, wide forehead of his, I was …
On 18 April 1889, Vincent’s brother Theo, an art dealer in Paris, married Johanna (Jo) Bonger (1862–1925). The wedding took place in Amsterdam, and Jo came to live with Theo in the French capital. Theo had had to find them a new apartment, since his flat on Rue Lepic was too small for them to share comfortably. The couple corresponded …
Upon arrival in Auvers on 20 May 1890, Vincent immediately went to see Dr Paul-Ferdinand Gachet (1828–1909) on the advice of his brother Theo. Gachet acted as Vincent’s medical doctor and confidant. It was vital that he have supervision, as there was a chance he would suffer further psychotic attacks, as he had experienced in Arles and Saint-Rémy: “The main …
Vincent gave drawing and painting lessons to Paul Eugène Milliet (1863–1943). Milliet was second lieutenant in the third regiment of the Zouaves, a light infantry corps. The regiment was stationed at the Caserne Calvin barracks in Arles. Vincent probably met Milliet in early June 1888. In order to teach him properly, Vincent asked his brother Theo in Paris to look …
Vincent made friends with the train station’s postal official Joseph Etienne Roulin (1841–1903), who lived nearby with his family. In July 1888, Vincent wrote to his brother Theo: “Now I’m working with another model, a postman in a blue uniform with gold trimmings, a big, bearded face, very Socratic. […] A more interesting man than many people.” Read the complete …
In Paris, Vincent van Gogh befriended Harry Gladwell (1857–1927), the son of Henry William Gladwell, owner of the Gladwell Gallery in London. Vincent often stopped there when he was in London. The art gallery was established in the mid-eighteenth century and was run by the Gladwell family until Harry’s son Algernon sold it in 1951.
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 …
Vincent van Gogh had gotten to know Harry Gladwell (1857–1927) in Paris while working for Goupil there in 1875. Although he considered Harry an odd fellow at first, the two eventually became close friends. Harry’s father, Henry William Gladwell, ran a gallery at 20–21 Gracechurch Street in London. When Vincent moved to Ramsgate and then to Isleworth after his stint …
At the art dealers Goupil & Cie in London, Vincent van Gogh had a good relationship with his boss, Charles Obach (1840/41–?). They took a trip to Box Hill together. After Vincent left Goupil in 1876 and began applying for other jobs, he needed a reference, and Obach provided one. Vincent stayed in touch with his former boss, as is …
After his stay in the Borinage, Vincent decided to return to Brussels to continue his development as an artist and he contacted Tobias Victor Schmidt (1842–1903). Schmidt was the manager for the art dealers Goupil & Cie in Brussels and Vincent’s brother Theo had worked for him in 1873 and lived at his house. When Vincent returned to the city …
When Vincent took a trip to Brussels in 1878 with his father and the Rev Slade-Jones to look into studying to become a preacher, they lodged with the Geerling family. Otto Geerling was an architect who frequently did evangelical work, through which he had met Mr Van Gogh. More than a year later, Vincent returned to Brussels on foot from …
In a letter dated 1 November 1880, Vincent wrote to his brother Theo that he visited the Dutch artist Anthon Gerhard Alexander van Rappard (1858–1892), who was studying at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. They met at nine in the morning at Rue Traversière 64. Van Rappard was extremely wealthy, and Vincent was unsure whether they would get on …
On 1 November 1880, Vincent wrote to his brother Theo that he had gone to see the Dutch artist Willem Roelofs (1822–1897) on Theo’s advice. Roelofs, who had lived in Brussels since 1848, had an influential position in the local art world, and his acquaintance could therefore prove useful. Roelofs advised Vincent: “that from now on I should concentrate on …
Vincent’s uncle Cornelis Marinus “Cor” van Gogh (often called C.M. in Vincent’s letters; 1824–1908) sold books and art on the Keizersgracht (his place of business had previously been located at Leidsestraat 38). Vincent often visited his uncle’s shop with all sorts of artworks, magazines and books that interested him. In March 1878, Uncle Cor redecorated the shop, and Vincent commented …
In early July 1877, Vincent van Gogh met Jeremias “Jeremie” Posthumus Meijjes (1831–1908) and his wife, Jeanne Louise Agathe Tilanus (1834–1881), at the home of the minister Reinier Posthumus Meijjes, an acquaintance of his father. They spent an enjoyable evening together, and Vincent subsequently visited the couple a few times. He also once heard Meijjes Jr preach in the Westerkerk …
In June 1877, on his father’s advice, Vincent van Gogh visited Rev. Reinier Posthumus Meijjes (1803–1891). He admired the talented, deeply religious man. A month after their first meeting, Vincent visited Meijjes again, enjoying a pleasant evening during which he also met Meijjes’ son Jeremie and Jeremie’s wife, Jeanne Louise Agathe Tilanus. They discussed all sorts of subjects and evidently …
From 25 to 27 November 1881, Vincent van Gogh came to Amsterdam to visit his cousin Cornelia “Kee” Adriana Vos-Stricker (1846–1918). The previous summer, he had fallen secretly in love with Kee – who had lost her husband, Christoffel Martinus Vos, in 1878 – when she spent a few weeks with the Van Goghs in Etten. Vincent finally confessed his …
Vincent van Gogh’s cousin Kee lived with her husband, Christoffel Vos, on the Prinsengracht across from the Westerkerk. Vincent greatly enjoyed visiting them. For instance, he stopped by on 5 August 1877 during a walk from eastern Amsterdam to Bickerseiland. He also visited them on the evening of 17 September and was impressed by their loving relationship: “I spent Monday …