Who donated the core collection of the Van Gogh Museum?

Vincent Willem van Gogh donated the core collection that became the foundation of the Van Gogh Museum. He was the painter's nephew, the son of Theo van Gogh and Johanna van Gogh-Bonger.

After Vincent's death in 1890, his unsold works passed to Theo. Theo died only six months later, and his widow, Johanna, preserved the collection while promoting Vincent's art through exhibitions and sales. In 1925, the collection was inherited by her son, Vincent Willem.

Vincent Willem worked to secure a permanent public home for the family collection. In 1962, he established the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, which transferred the collection to the Dutch state. The museum opened in Amsterdam in 1973. Johanna was indispensable to preserving and popularising the works, but Vincent Willem was the family member associated with donating the core collection and creating the institutional foundation.