In the context of this artwork, analyze the Theo van Gogh of the Family.

Theo van Gogh (art dealer) was born in Groot Zundert on 1 May 1857, four years after his brother Vincent. He was more tender, kind and delicately built but shared his older brother's reddish fair complexion and light blue eyes. Theo and Vincent began writing letters to one another in 1872 and continued for 18 years, with 668 letters from Vincent to Theo, many of them with sketches.  Theo became Vincent's key source of emotional and financial support as he pursued his artistic development.  Theo, who managed an art gallery in Paris and was knowledgeable of trends in modern art, offered Vincent advice.  Theo married Johanna Bonger and had a son, whom they named Vincent.  Theo died six months after Vincent’s death on 25 January 1891.			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
		
			
			
		
The Van Gogh Museum attributes a painting generally considered a self-portrait to actually be a portrayal of his brother, Theo.  In Portrait of Theo van Gogh, (F294), the museum says that the painting was made "to experiment with color, as we can see in the effect of the yellow hat against the blue background, and the range of colors in the jacket, bow-tie and background." Albert J. Lubin, author of "Stranger on the Earth: A Psychological Biography of Vincent van Gogh" claims that Vincent made no portraits of his brother.Next to this painting is one of Vincent's self-portraits (F296), also made in 1887.			
			
		
		
			
			
		
Vincent made Almond Blossoms for Theo and his wife to celebrate the birth of their son, symbolizing new life in the flowers of the almond tree. Vincent wrote to his mother of the birth of Theo and Jo's baby,"How glad I was when the news came... I should have greatly preferred him to call the boy after Father, of whom I have been thinking so much these days, instead of after me; but seeing it has now been done, I started right away to make a picture for him, to hang in their bedroom, big branches of white almond blossom against a blue sky."
The bright color is reflective of the paintings made in Arles and the transformational work Vincent had on the still life genre.
Theo Johanna Arles Vincent’s death Almond Blossoms Jo's Vincent van Gogh Van Gogh Museum Johanna Bonger Theo van Gogh (art dealer)