After telling his woes to famously-troubled Vincent van Gogh, and in return being offered a suicide pact, Alexander Reid had to tactfully exit his close friend's life. Before that, Reid, a Scottish art dealer and artist, was painted at least twice by van Gogh with whom he shared an uncanny resemblance, including red hair.

Reid's father, also an art dealer, was so repulsed by the two portraits that he sold them for £5 each.

The fascinating story of van Gogh and Reid's friendship, their art and bust-and-boom economic times, as well as Reid's career as an art dealer who embraced Impressionism early on, is portrayed in a new 176-page biography. Set to be released in March 2011, the saga is written by art historian Frances Fowle (National Galleries of Art, Scotland).