Were Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo best friends?

Without doubt Vincent's brother Theo was his best friend. But even the best friendships have their dips.

Today 137 years ago, on 23 August 1884,

Vincent van Gogh wrote to Theo from Nuenen:

"Please don’t think that I don’t want to remain good friends — but here it’s in the nature of the thing that it’s not possible; even if one were to try it, it still wouldn’t work. Anyway, it’s a situation that no one could do much about. I believe that your character has now set in a permanent mould — mine too — and the directions do not run parallel.”

Their father Theodorus van Gogh tried to reassure Theo somewhat, and wrote the day before:

"You will probably also receive a letter from V. I pray you don’t attach too much to it. He is evidently not well and I should think feverish and consequently too easily excited. I would ask you to keep calm, in the face of what could disrupt calm! He is very touchy or overwrought.”

Photo on this page: Theo van Gogh? The Van Gogh museum is not sure wether it's Vincent or Theo in this portrait.

Paris, 1887
Oil on panel
19 x 14 cm
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

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Theo van Gogh? The Van Gogh museum is not sure wether it's Vincent or Theo in this portrait.

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