To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888.

Monday, 28 May 1888

Metadata Source status: Original manuscript

Location: Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. nos. b532 a-c V/1962

Date: Vincent told Theo on 27 May that the weather was fine (letter 614). In the present letter he says: Thunderstorm and rain today (l. 220). The weather reports tell us that there was sudden heavy rain on Monday, 28 May (Mto-France). He also received the allowance that he had expected on Sunday (letters 613 and 614). We have therefore dated the letter Monday, 28 May. 29 May the date Jo van Gogh-Bonger gave in Brieven 1914, which was probably based on a postmark must therefore have been the date it was posted.

Additional: Original [1r:1] Mon cher Theo, Ta lettre de ce matin ma fait grand plaisir, je te remercie beaucoup du billet de 100 fr. qui y tait inclus. Et suis enfin content que la caisse soit arrive. Si tu trouves que le Souvenir de Mauve est des passables faudrait alors le joindre au prochain envoi La Haye avec simple cadre tout blanc.1 Si dans le nombre tu trouverais une autre tude qui te semblerait plus convenable pour Tersteeg tu ly ajouterais sans ddicace et tu garderais celle qui porte sa ddicace que tu pourrais ds lors

1 Pink peach trees (Souvenir de Mauve) (F 394 / JH 1379).

1 2 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888.

gratter.2 Car il vaut mieux lui en donner une sans ddicace aucune. Il peut alors prtendre ne pas avoir compris quelle lui tait offerte et la renvoyer sans mot dire sil prfre ne pas avoir quelque chose de moi. Il faut que moi je lui en offre une certainement, pour prouver que jai quelque zle pour la cause et que japprecie que lui[1v:2] laie prise en main mais en somme fais comme ca tombe, nen envoie pas, envoie celle l avec ou sans dedicace, envoies en une autre, tout cela mest absolument gal. Seulement comme Mauve et lui etaient si unis, il me semblait dans lemotion du moment une chose trs simple de faire quelque chse pour Tersteeg en mme temps que je faisais un souvenir pour Mauve. Et je neus gure dautre pense que celle l. Donc suffit. Letude de verger dont tu parles o il y a beaucoup de pointill est la moiti du motif principal de la decoration. Lautre moiti est letude de mme format sans chassis. 4 Et eux deux elles donneraient une ide de lagencement des vergers dici. Seulement moi je considerais une etude trop molle, lautre trop brutale, toutes les deux manques. Le temps changeant y tait certes aussi pour quelque chse et puis jtais comme le russe qui voulait gober trop [1v:3] de terrain dans une journee de marche.5 Je suis trs-curieux de voir les resultats du systme Gruby la longue , aprs disons une anne de pratique. Ce sera sage de te montrer quelquefois de causer avec lui et de lui arracher sa vraie attention , un vrai effort serieux de son ct, comme Bonger a fini par avoir sa sympathie et son intert plus serieux. Alors je serais plus

2 Van Gogh had dedicated the painting The Langlois bridge with washerwomen (F 397 / JH 1368) to Tersteeg3; see for scraping it off: letter 608, n. 3. As far as we know, Tersteeg never had any of Van Goghs paintings in his possession. 4 Orchard with peach trees in blossom (F 551 / JH 1396) and Orchard bordered by cypresses (F 513 / JH 1389). The former is the work with a lot of stippling. 5 A reference to the story Le Moujik Pakhom. Faut-il beaucoup de terre pour un homme? from Tolstoy6s A la recherche du bonheur : see letter 602, n. 10. To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888. 3 tranquille sur ton compte. Maintenant je ne saurais ltre. La proposition de ces messieurs de te faire faire de petits voyages doutre mer est reintante pour toi. Et moi je maccuse de treinter ainsi moi avec mes besoins dargent continuels. Il me semble que ce quexigent de toi ces messieurs serait pourtant raisonable si avant ils consentaient te donner un an de cong (tout en gardant ton salaire entirement) pour refaire ta sant. Cette annee tu la devouerais aller revoir chez eux tous les impressionistes et [1r:4] amateurs dimpressionistes. Ce serait encore travailler dans lintert de Boussod & Co. Aprs tu partirais le sang & les nerfs plus tranquilles et capable de faire de nouvelles affaires l-bas. Mais aller chercher les marrons du feu pour ces messieurs dans ltat o tu es maintenant, cest faire une anne qui tereintera. Et cela ne sert personne. Mon cher frre lidee musulmane que la mort narrive que lorsquelle doit arriver voyons a pourtant. moi il me semble que nous nayons aucune preuve dune direction directe den haut tant que ca. Au contraire il me semble prouv quune bonne hygine non seulement puisse prolonger la vie mais surtout la rendre plus sereine dune eau plus limpide tandis quune mauvaise hygine non seulement trouble le courant de la vie mais encore le manque dhygine peut mettre un terme la vie avant le temps. Nai je pas moi vu mourir devant mes yeux un bien brave homme faute davoir un medecin intelligent il etait si calme et si tranquille dans tout cela, seulement il disait toujours si javais un autre medecin et il est mort en haussant les paules dun air que je noublierai pas. [2r:5] Veux tu que jaille en Amrique avec toi, ce ne serait que juste que ces messieurs me payeraient mon voyage. Bien des chses me seraient gales mais 4 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888. non pas celle l de chse que tu ne te referais pas la sant srieusement dabord. Or je crois quil faut que tu te retrempes encore davantage et dans la nature et dans les artistes. Et prfrerais te voir indpendant des Goupil et ton propre compte avec les impressionistes, cette alternative dune vie de voyages avec les tableaux chers qui appartiennent ces messieurs. Lorsque notre oncle tait leur associ il sest dans de certaines annes fait trs bien payer comptes pourtant ce que cela lui a cout.7 Or toi tes poumons sont biens mais mais mais un an de Gruby dabord et puis tu verras le danger que tu cours maintenant. A prsent tu as plus de 10 ans de Paris ce qui est plus quil ne faut.[2v:6] Tu me diras que Dtaille par exemple en a une trentaine peut etre dannes de Paris et quil se tient droit comme un i . Bon, fais comme cela si tu as des capacits pareilles. Je ne my oppose pas et notre famille a une vie tenace. Tout ce que je dsirerais dire se rsume ceci: si ces messieurs te font prendre des marrons du feu pour eux de pareilles distances, fais toi payer cher ou refuses et mets toi dans les impressionistes, faisant moins daffaires au point de vue des sommes remues mais en vivant davantage dans la nature. Pour moi je me refais dcidemment et lestomac depuis le mois coul a gagn normment. Je souffre encore dmotions mal motivs mais involontaires, ou dhbtement de certains jours, mais cela va en se tranquilisant. Je compte faire une excursion Ste Marie pour voir enfin la Mediterrane. 9 Sans doute les deux soeurs seront bien contentes de venir Paris et cela ne leur fera aucun

7 See for Uncle Vincent:8 letter 398, n. 6.

9 Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is about 40 km to the south of Arles. See for the date of Van Goghs visit to this seaside town: letter 617, Date. To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888. 5 mal cest bien sr.10 [2v:7] Je voudrais que tout le monde vienne ici dans le Midi galement. Je me fais toujours des reproches que ma peinture ne vaut pas ce quelle cote. Il faut pourtant travailler seulement sache que si jamais les circonstances rendraient desirables que je moccupe plutt dans le commerce, pourvu que cela te decharge, je le ferais sans regrets. Mourier te donnera encore deux dessins la plume.13 Sais tu ce quil faudrait en faire de ces dessins des albums de 6 ou 10 ou 12 comme les albums de dessins originaux japonais. Jai grand envie de faire un tel album pour Gauguin et un pour Bernard. Car cela deviendra mieux que a les dessins. 15 [2r:8] Jai achet aujourdhui des couleurs ici et des toiles parceque selon le temps quil fera il me faudra attaquer. Raison de plus pour que dans la commande de couleurs17 il ny a rien de press que les dix grands tubes de blanc. Cest drle quun de ces soirs ci Mont-majour jai vu un soleil couchant rouge qui envoyait des rayons dans les troncs & feuillages de pins enracins dans un amas de rochers, colorant dorang feu les troncs et les feuillages tandis que dautres pins sur des plans plus reculs se dessinaient bleu de prusse sur un ciel bleu-vert tendre cruln. Cest donc leffet de ce Claude Monet. 19 Ctait superbe. Le sable blanc et les gisements de rochers blancs sous les arbres prenaient des teintes bleues.

10 Theo wanted his sisters Lies11 and Willemien12 to come to Paris. In the end Willemien came alone and stayed with Theo for several weeks in the summer of 1888. 13 One of the drawings Mourier-Petersen14 took with him was probably The Langlois bridge (F 1470 / JH 1377), which Van Gogh incorporated in his letter sketch. It is not possible to identify the other one. 15 In his letter sketch of the Leporello album which was to be made after a Japanese example Van Gogh included four of his Arles drawings: Farmhouse in a wheatfield (F 1415 / JH 1408), which he had probably sent to Theo at the end of April (see letter 602), Landscape with a tree in the foreground (F 1418 / JH 1431) and Montmajour (F 1423 / JH 1433), which he said in letter 613 that he had sent, and The Langlois bridge (F 1470 / JH 1377). Theo did not yet have this drawing: it is dated to mid-May (in other words after the first two consignments in late April-early May) and it was not in the batch referred to in letter 613, since those were views around Montmajour. It seems likely that Mourier-Petersen16 took it with him. See cat. Amsterdam 2007, p. 114. In the Van Gogh Museum collection there is a Japanese album of prints that comes from the family estate and was made in the way Van Gogh illustrated in his sketch: Shinsen kach no kei (Glimpses of newly selected flowers and birds). See cat Amsterdam 1991, p. 25 and cat. no. 112. 17 Van Gogh had enclosed this paint order for Tasset18 in letter 613. 19 Van Gogh must be responding to Theos description of a painting by Monet20, in connection with his preparations for the exhibition (see letter 625, n. 5). This was Under the pine trees at the end of the day, 1888 (Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gift of Otto F. Haas). Ill. 1593. It emerges from letter 627 to Russell21 that Vincent knew this work through Theos description of it. 6 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888.

Ce que je voudrais faire cest le panorama dont tu as les premiers dessins22 cest dun large et puis ca ne sen va pas dans le gris, cela reste vert jusque dans la derniere ligne bleue celle l, la range de collines. Aujourdhui orage & pluie qui fera dailleurs du bien. Si Koning prfre une tude peinte fais comme cela tombe. 23 Rflchis bien avant que tu nacceptes tout ce que demandent les Goupil et si cela entrainait un changement pour moi, vrai, je pourrais maintenant que la sant reprend travailler nimporte o et nai pas dide fixe pour le travail la rigueur. Poignee de main toi & Koning. t. t. Vincent [3r:9] Je crois que pour le verger blanc il faudrait un cadre blanc froid & cru. 25 Saches bien que jaimerais mieux abandonner ma peinture que de te voir tereinter pour gagner de largent. Certes il en faut mais en sommes-nous l quil faille aller le chercher si loin. Tu vois si bien que se preparer la mort, ide chretienne (heureusement pour lui le Christ lui-mme ne la partageait aucunement il me semble lui qui aimait les gens et les choses dici bas plus que de raison selon les gens qui ne voient en lui quun toqu), si tu vois si bien que se prparer pour la mort est une chse laisser l pour ce quelle est ne vois tu pas quegalement le dvouement vivre pour les autres est une erreur si cest compliqu de suicide vu que vraiment dans ce cas on fait des meurtriers de ses amis. Si donc tu en es l de devoir faire des voyages comme cela sans avoir jamais de tranquilit, vraiment cela mte lapptit pour me refaire mon calme moi.[3v:10] Et si tu acceptes ces propositions, bien mais alors demandes 22 Van Gogh later did the painting The harvest (F 412 / JH 1440) of this view near Montmajour. The drawings were The plain of La Crau (F 1419 / JH 1430), Landscape with a tree in the foreground (F 1418 / JH 1431), View from Montmajour (F 1448 / JH 1432), Landscape with Arles in the background (F 1475 / JH 1435) and Heath (F 1493 / JH 1436). 23 See for the proposed exchange with Koning24: letter 614, n. 3.

25 The white orchard (F 403 / JH 1378). To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888. 7 ces Goupil de me reprendre moi mes gages de dans le temps, et prends moi avec toi dans ces voyages. Les gens cela vaut mieux que les chses et pour moi, plus que je me donne du mal pour les tableaux plus les tableaux en soi me laissent froids. Ce pourquoi je cherche les faire, cest pour tre dans les artistes. Tu comprendras cela me chagrinerait de te pousser gagner de largent, restons plutot ensemble en tout cas l o il y a une volont il y a un chemin et je sens que tu te gueriras pour toute une serie dannes si tu te gueris maintenant. Mais ne tereintes pas maintenant ni pour moi ni pour dautres. Tu connais le portrait de Six vieux, un homme qui sen va 26 son gant la main, bon, vis jusqu que tu ten aille comme cela, cest comme cela que je te vois, mari, ayant une position Paris crne. Tu joueras un bon rle de cette faon. Rflechis et consulte Gruby avant daccepter telle proposition. t. t. Vincent

Translation [1r:1] My dear Theo, I was very pleased to receive this mornings letter from you; I thank you very much for the 100-franc note that was included in it. And am glad in the end that the crate has arrived. If you think the Souvenir de Mauve is among those that are passable then you should add it to the next Hague consignment, with a simple all-white frame.30 If you found another study among them that seemed to you more suitable for Tersteeg31, you should put it in without a dedication, and you should keep the one with the dedication to him, which you could then scratch out.32 Because its better to give him one without any sort of dedication. He can then claim not to have understood that it was a gift for him, and send it back without saying anything if he would rather not have something of mine. Ill certainly have to give him one myself, to prove that I have some enthusiasm for the cause and that I appreciate his having taken it in hand but in short, do as it turns out, dont send [1v:2]

26 See for Rembrandt27s Jan Six : letter 47, n. 8. Fromentin28 had also written about Six29 in Les matres dautrefois : He is going out (Il va sortir). See Fromentin 1902, chapter 14, p. 370. 30 Pink peach trees (Souvenir de Mauve) (F 394 / JH 1379). 31 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague 32 Van Gogh had dedicated the painting The Langlois bridge with washerwomen (F 397 / JH 1368) to Tersteeg33; see for scraping it off: letter 608, n. 3. As far as we know, Tersteeg never had any of Van Goghs paintings in his possession. 8 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888.

any, send that one with or without a dedication, send another one, it makes no difference to me whatsoever. Only as Mauve34 and he were so close, in the emotion of the moment it seemed to me a very simple thing to do something for Tersteeg35 at the same time as I was doing a souvenir of Mauve. And I had scarcely another thought but that. So thats enough. The orchard study you mention where theres a lot of stippling is half of the main subject of the decoration. The other half is the study in the same format, without a stretching frame.36 And those two together would give an idea of how orchards are laid out here. But I myself thought one study too feeble, the other too harsh, both of them failures. The changeable weather certainly had something to do with it too, and I was like the Russian who tried to swallow up too [1v:3] much ground in a days march.37 Im very curious to see the results of the Gruby39 system in the long run, after, lets say, a years application. It will be wise to show up sometimes to chat with him and to extract his real attention, a real, big effort on his part, as Bonger40 in the end gained his friendship and deeper interest. Then Id feel easier on your account. I couldnt feel that way now. The proposal by those gentlemen to have you make short trips overseas is wearing you out. And I blame myself for wearing you out like this me with my constant needs for money. It seems to me that what those gentlemen are demanding of you could, however, be reasonable if they first agreed to give you a years leave (on full salary) to regain your health. Youd devote that [1r:4] year to going to see all the Impressionists and connoisseurs of the Impressionists at their homes again. That would still be working in the interests of Boussod & Co41. After that youd go off with your blood and your nerves more settled, and fit to do new business over there. But to go and pull the chestnuts out of the fire for those gentlemen in the state youre in now is to spend a year that will wear you out. And that does nobody any good. My dear brother the Muslim idea that death only comes when it must come lets just see about that. To me, it seems that we havent any proof of such a direct guidance from above. On the contrary, it seems to me that its been proved that good hygiene may not only prolong life but above all, can make it more serene its waters more limpid while poor hygiene not only muddies lifes current, but even more than that, lack of hygiene may put an end to life before time. Have I not myself seen a fine figure of a man die before my very eyes for want of an intelligent doctor he was so calm and tranquil through all of that, only he kept saying if I had another [2r:5] doctor, and he died shrugging his shoulders in a way Ill never forget. Would you like me to go to America with you? It would be only right that those gentlemen paid my fare. There are many things that wouldnt matter to me one way or the other, but not that that you didnt first build up your health properly. Now I think you need to immerse yourself again even more, both in nature and among artists. And would prefer to see you independent of the Goupils and working on your own account with the Impressionists, to this alternative of a life of travelling with the expensive paintings that belong

34 Anton Mauve (1838-1888) Dutch artist 35 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague 36 Orchard with peach trees in blossom (F 551 / JH 1396) and Orchard bordered by cypresses (F 513 / JH 1389). The former is the work with a lot of stippling. 37 A reference to the story Le Moujik Pakhom. Faut-il beaucoup de terre pour un homme? from Tolstoy38s A la recherche du bonheur : see letter 602, n. 10.

39 David Gruby (1810-1898) doctor in Paris 40 Andries (Andr or Dries) Bonger (1861-1936) friend of Theo in Paris, brother of Jo van Gogh-Bonger 41 Boussod, Valadon & Cie art dealers in Paris, successors of Goupil & Cie To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888. 9 to those gentlemen. When our uncle42 was an associate of theirs, in some years he managed to be very well paid but just count what it cost him.43 Now you, your lungs are good but but but a year of Gruby45 first, and then youll see the danger youre in now. At present youve had over 10 years of Paris, which is more than is good. Youll tell me that [2v:6] Detaille46, for example, has had perhaps thirty years of Paris and that he holds himself as straight as a ramrod. Good, do the same if you have comparable capacities. Im not against it, and our family has a tenacious grip on life. Everything I could wish to say is summed up in this: if those gentlemen make you pull the chestnuts out of the fire over such distances, see that youre well paid, or refuse, and throw yourself into the Impressionists, doing less business from the point of view of the sums handled, but living closer to nature. For myself, Im definitely recovering, and since the past month my stomach has improved enor- mously. I still suffer from unaccountable, involuntary feelings, or a stupor on some days, but its getting calmer. I plan to make an excursion to Saintes-Maries, to see the Mediterranean at last.47 Our two sisters48 will doubtless be quite happy to come to Paris and it wont do them any harm, thats quite certain.49 [2v:7] Id like everybody to come here to the south too. Im always blaming myself for the fact that my painting isnt worth what it costs. We must work nevertheless but you should know that if circumstances ever made it desirable for me to involve myself more in business, as long as it took a burden off you, Id do it with no regrets. Mourier52 will give you two more pen drawings.53 Do you know what we should do with these drawings? Albums of 6 or 10 or 12, like the albums of original Japanese drawings. Im very keen to make such an album for Gauguin55 and one for Bernard56. Because the drawings will become better than that.57 [2r:8]

42 Vincent van Gogh (Uncle Vincent or Uncle Cent) (1820-1888) brother of Theodorus van Gogh, art dealer 43 See for Uncle Vincent:44 letter 398, n. 6.

45 David Gruby (1810-1898) doctor in Paris 46 Edouard Jean Baptiste Detaille (1848-1912) French artist 47 Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is about 40 km to the south of Arles. See for the date of Van Goghs visit to this seaside town: letter 617, Date. 48 Elisabeth (Lies) Huberta Du Quesne-Van Gogh (1859-1936) sister of Vincent, second wife of Jean Philippe Theodore du Quesne van Bruchem 49 Theo wanted his sisters Lies50 and Willemien51 to come to Paris. In the end Willemien came alone and stayed with Theo for several weeks in the summer of 1888. 52 Christian Vilhelm Mourier-Petersen (1858-1945) Danish artist 53 One of the drawings Mourier-Petersen54 took with him was probably The Langlois bridge (F 1470 / JH 1377), which Van Gogh incorporated in his letter sketch. It is not possible to identify the other one. 55 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 56 Emile Bernard (1868-1941) French artist and writer 57 In his letter sketch of the Leporello album which was to be made after a Japanese example Van Gogh included four of his Arles drawings: Farmhouse in a wheatfield (F 1415 / JH 1408), which he had probably sent to Theo at the end of April (see letter 602), Landscape with a tree in the foreground (F 1418 / JH 1431) and Montmajour (F 1423 / JH 1433), which he said in letter 613 that he had sent, and The Langlois bridge (F 1470 / JH 1377). Theo did not yet have this drawing: it is dated to mid-May (in other words after the first two consignments in late April-early May) and it was not in the batch referred to in letter 613, since those were views around Montmajour. It seems likely that Mourier-Petersen58 took it with him. See cat. Amsterdam 2007, p. 114. In the Van Gogh Museum collection there is a Japanese album of prints that comes from the family estate and was made in the way Van Gogh illustrated in his sketch: Shinsen kach no kei (Glimpses of newly selected flowers and birds). See cat Amsterdam 1991, p. 25 and cat. no. 112. 10 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888.

I bought some colours here today, and canvases, because depending on the weather Ill have to go onto the attack. Another reason why theres nothing urgent in the order for colours,59 except the ten large tubes of white. Its funny that one evening recently at Montmajour I saw a red sunset that sent its rays into the trunks and foliage of pines rooted in a mass of rocks, colouring the trunks and foliage a fiery orange while other pines in the further distance stood out in Prussian blue against a soft blue-green sky cerulean. So its the effect of that Claude Monet61.62 It was superb. The white sand and the seams of white rocks under the trees took on blue tints. What Id like to do is the panorama of which you have the first drawings65 its so wide and it doesnt fade into grey, it stays green to the last line and thats blue, the range of hills. Thunderstorm and rain today, which will do good anyway. If Koning66 prefers a painted study, do whatever turns out.67 Think carefully before you agree to everything the Goupils demand, and if that brought a change for me, really, now my healths improving I could work anywhere, and dont have an ide fixe about work, if it comes to that. Handshake to you and to Koning69. Ever yours, Vincent [3r:9] I think that for the white orchard we need a cold and raw white frame.70 You should know that Id rather give up my painting than see you wear yourself out to earn money. We need it of course, but have we reached the point where we have to go and look for it so far away? You see so clearly that preparing oneself for death, a Christian idea (fortunately for him Christ himself didnt share it at all, it seems to me he who loved the people and things of this earth, more than is wise according to those who see him as nothing more than a crackpot), if you see so clearly that preparing oneself for death is a thing to leave there for what it is dont you also see that devotion living for others is a mistake if its complicated by suicide since in that case one truly makes murderers of ones friends. So if youve reached the point where you have to make trips like that without ever having any [3v:10] peace and quiet, truly that takes away my appetite to recover my own tranquillity. And if you agree to these proposals, well and good but then ask those Goupils to take me on again at my previous salary and take me with you on these trips. People are worth more than things and for me, the more trouble I go to over paintings the more paintings as such leave me cold. The reason I try to make them is to be among artists. Youll understand it would grieve me to drive you to earn money, lets rather stay together in any case where theres a will theres a way, and I feel youll cure yourself for a good many years if you cure yourself now. But dont wear yourself out now, either for me or for others. You know the portrait of Six71 as an old man, a man who is leaving,72 his glove in his hand, well, live until you leave like that, thats how I see you,

59 Van Gogh had enclosed this paint order for Tasset60 in letter 613. 61 Claude Oscar Monet (1840-1926) French artist 62 Van Gogh must be responding to Theos description of a painting by Monet63, in connection with his preparations for the exhibition (see letter 625, n. 5). This was Under the pine trees at the end of the day, 1888 (Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gift of Otto F. Haas). Ill. 1593. It emerges from letter 627 to Russell64 that Vincent knew this work through Theos description of it. 65 Van Gogh later did the painting The harvest (F 412 / JH 1440) of this view near Montmajour. The drawings were The plain of La Crau (F 1419 / JH 1430), Landscape with a tree in the foreground (F 1418 / JH 1431), View from Montmajour (F 1448 / JH 1432), Landscape with Arles in the background (F 1475 / JH 1435) and Heath (F 1493 / JH 1436). 66 Arnold Hendrik Koning (1860-1945) Dutch artist 67 See for the proposed exchange with Koning68: letter 614, n. 3.

69 Arnold Hendrik Koning (1860-1945) Dutch artist 70 The white orchard (F 403 / JH 1378). 71 Jan Six (1618-1700) mayor of Amsterdam 72 See for Rembrandt73s Jan Six : letter 47, n. 8. Fromentin74 had also written about Six75 in Les matres dautrefois : He is going out (Il va sortir). See Fromentin 1902, chapter 14, p. 370. To Theo van Gogh. Arles, Monday, 28 May 1888. 11 married, with a solid position in Paris. Youll play a good role that way. Think it over and consult Gruby before accepting such a proposal. Ever yours, Vincent