Brief Happiness: The Correspondence of Theo Van Gogh and Jo Bonger

Published to provide intimate insight into the lives of Theo van Gogh, the devoted art dealer and brother of Vincent van Gogh, and his wife, Johanna Bonger, this volume documents their courtship and early years of marriage. Compiled and edited from their preserved letters, the collection serves as a vital historical bridge, capturing the emotional and intellectual climate of the late 19th-century Dutch art world while highlighting the personal partnership that would eventually ensure Vincent's legacy.

The design and curation of these letters were intended to move beyond the shadow of Vincent van Gogh to center the personal journey of Johanna, who became a central figure in the promotion of her brother-in-law's work after Theo's death. Scholars and critics have received the work as a poignant, unvarnished look at the domestic reality of a nineteenth-century couple, noting that it strips away the mythic quality often associated with the van Gogh name in favor of human vulnerability and practical daily life.