The Unknown Van Gogh: The Life of Cornelis van Gogh from the Netherlands to South Africa

Published by Penguin Random House South Africa, 2015, softcover, illustrated, index, 217 pages, condition: new.

The Unknown Van Gogh tells the story of Cornelis van Gogh, youngest brother of Vincent and Theo van Gogh. Using new insights based on original research, the book traces the circumstances of Cornelius's short life, from his pleasant childhood in the Netherlands, to his work in the gold-mining industry in the Transvaal Republic following his move to South Africa in 1889. The particulars of Cor's strained relationship with his famous brother are given, and his participation on the Boer side in the Anglo-Boer War is mapped out in greater detail, including his tragic demise in a hospital in Brandfort one that holds a troubling resemblance to Vincents own tragic end. Chris Schoemans biography of the lesser-known Van Gogh brother reveals a side of art history never before explored with such scrutiny, recreating the last decade of nineteenth-century South Africa, and providing fresh analysis on a family that continues to intrigue both historians and the general public.