Joseph Roulin to Vincent Van Gogh. Marseille, Monday, 19 August 1889

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Joseph Roulin to Vincent van Gogh. Marseille, Monday, 19 August 1889.

Monday, 19 August 1889

Metadata Source status: Original manuscript

Location: Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b1072 V/1962

Date: Letter headed: Marseille le 19 aout 1889.

Additional: Original [1r:1] Marseille le 19 aout 1889 Monsieur et cher ami Vincent. Jai reu votre lettre avec un grand plaisir, surtous dapprendre que votre sant va bien. continuez vous bien soigner, suivez les conseils de votre bon Docteur et vous verrez votre complet rtablissement la satisfactions de vos parent et de vos amis. je suis trs content que votre frre se trouve trs heureux en mnage, il parat tre si bon que sil a pris un pouse suivant lui, il doivent se trouver heureux. presentez lui mes amitis ainssi que de celle de ma famille quand [1v:2] vous lui crirrez. nous somme trs charm de laccueil quil a fait nos Portraits, tant pour lamiti quil prsente pour moi et ma famille que pour la

1 2 Joseph Roulin to Vincent van Gogh. Marseille, Monday, 19 August 1889. louange quil fait de votre travail. 1 Reevez nos sincres flicitations. Dans votre lettre vous croyez que je sois en famille, malheureusement non, jen ai encore pour un mois et demi, je nai lour mes appartement que pour la St Michel, ma famille ne pourra venir que dans la premire dizaine dOctobre. 4 Augustine et Marcelle sont venu rester quinze jours Marseille, cause que moi je ne pouvais allez les voir. Augustine et Marcelle se porte bien. Marcelle est toujour[1v:3] que plus belle, elle marche toute seule, elle parle comme un petit Perroquet. je puis vous dire que jai pass quinze jours agrable avec eux. une petite qui nest pas sauvage, qui va avec tous le monde. si vous laviez vu admirant les tableaux, sitot quelle voyais un tableaux dans les maisons, dans la rue, elle lui parlais. Je naurais vos tableaux, nos portraits, 8 que quand jaurais la famille. ne craignez pas que je fasse faire quelque chose vos tableaux car je respectte trop le talent de lartiste, et la parole donne vous savez que cest sacr pour moi. esprrons quun jour nous pourrons encore nous voir et cimenter de nouveau notre amiti. quand la famille seras Marseille jexpre10 quun jour[1r:4] vous nous honnorerez de votre visite. Je suis tait11 trs content de la dmarches qua fait lami Gauguin votre frre pour vous faire participer leur exposition, cest

1 Vincent must have written to Roulin2 about Theos reaction to the portraits in the third consignment of paintings from Arles. Theo had told him how beautiful he found Augustine Roulin (La berceuse) (F 504 / JH 1655, F 506 / JH 1670, F 507 / JH 1672 and F 508 / JH 1671), Joseph Roulin (F 436 / JH 1675) and Marcelle Roulin (F 441 / JH 1641) (see letter 774, nn. 2, 3 and 5). Armand Roulin (F 493 / JH 1643) and Camille Roulin (F 538 / JH 1645) must also have been in that consignment. The portrait Young man with a cap (F 536 / JH 1648), which is presumably of Armand Roulin3, was probably also with Theo (see letter 767, n. 1). 4 Regarding Michaelmas (29 September), see letter 654, n. 2. Augustine Roulin5 and the children6 were staying with her mother7 in Lambesc, until they could move to Marseille in October 1889. 8 On the basis of provenance information, it can be ascertained that the Roulin family9 owned the following portraits: Augustine Roulin (La berceuse) (F 505 / JH 1669), Marcelle Roulin (F 441a / JH 1640), Armand Roulin (F 492 / JH 1642), Camille Roulin (F 537 / JH 1644), and a portrait of Roulin. It cannot be ascertained which portrait or portraits of Roulin were in their possession; see letter 774, n. 3.

10 Read: jespre. 11 Read: Jai t. Joseph Roulin to Vincent van Gogh. Marseille, Monday, 19 August 1889. 3 trs bien de sa part. je vous ﬁlicite12 de votre rsolutions de ne vouloir rien exposer sans que vous soyez tait13 Paris. dici l en y joignant tous ce que vous faite St Remy vous pourrez faire un espositions tout seul. ne vous dcouragez pas, travaillez dans ces beaux champs, proﬁtez des modle que la nature vous fourni, avec le travail la sant reviendras. Recevez cher Monsieur Vincent mes sincres salutations ainssi que de celles de mon pouse et de mes enfants. Marcelle vous envoie un gros baiser. Je vous serre les deux mains. votre tous dvou Roulin Courrier Convoyeur Rue Breteuil N 57 quand vous aurez le temp de mhonor dune lettre vous me ferez toujour un grand plaisir.

Translation [1r:1] Marseille, 19 August 1889 Sir and dear friend Vincent. I received your letter with great pleasure, especially to learn that you are in good health. Continue to take good care of yourself, follow the advice of your good Doctor14 and you will see your complete recovery to the satisfaction of your relatives and your friends. I am very pleased that your brother is very happy with married life, he appears to be such a good man that if he has taken a wife15 like himself, they must be happy. Oﬀer him my friendly greetings as well as those of my family when you write to him. We are very charmed by the welcome [1v:2] he gave to our Portraits, as much for the friendship he shows towards myself and my family as for the praise he gives to your work.16 Receive our sincere congratulations. In your letter you think that I am with my family, unfortunately not, I still have another month and a half to go, I have only rented my apartment for Michaelmas, my family cannot come until the ﬁrst ten days of October.19 Augustine23 and Marcelle24 came to stay for a fortnight in Marseille, because I could not go and see them. Augustine and Marcelle are well. Marcelle is ever more [1v:3] beautiful, she is walking all on her own, she talks like a little Parrot. I can tell you that I spent a

12 Read: flicite. 13 Read: ayez t. 14 Thophile Zacharie Auguste Peyron (1827-1895) director of the asylum in Saint-Rmy 15 Johanna (Jo or Net) Gezina van Gogh-Bonger (1862-1925) wife of Theo van Gogh 16 Vincent must have written to Roulin17 about Theos reaction to the portraits in the third consignment of paintings from Arles. Theo had told him how beautiful he found Augustine Roulin (La berceuse) (F 504 / JH 1655, F 506 / JH 1670, F 507 / JH 1672 and F 508 / JH 1671), Joseph Roulin (F 436 / JH 1675) and Marcelle Roulin (F 441 / JH 1641) (see letter 774, nn. 2, 3 and 5). Armand Roulin (F 493 / JH 1643) and Camille Roulin (F 538 / JH 1645) must also have been in that consignment. The portrait Young man with a cap (F 536 / JH 1648), which is presumably of Armand Roulin18, was probably also with Theo (see letter 767, n. 1). 19 Regarding Michaelmas (29 September), see letter 654, n. 2. Augustine Roulin20 and the children21 were staying with her mother22 in Lambesc, until they could move to Marseille in October 1889. 23 Augustine Alex Roulin-Pelicot (1851-1930) wife of Joseph Roulin 24 Marcelle Roulin (1888-1980) daughter of Joseph Roulin 4 Joseph Roulin to Vincent van Gogh. Marseille, Monday, 19 August 1889.

pleasant fortnight with them. A little one who isnt unsociable, who gets on with everyone. If you had seen her admiring paintings, as soon as she saw a painting in houses, in the street, she talked to it. I will not have your paintings, our portraits,25 until I have the family. Do not fear that I will have anything done to your paintings for I respect the artists talent too much, and once my word is given you know it is sacred to me. Let us hope that one day we can see each other again and [1r:4] once again cement our friendship. When the family is in Marseille I hope that you will honour us with a visit one day. I was very pleased with the approaches friend Gauguin27 made to your brother to get you to participate in their exhibition, it is very good of him. I congratulate you on your resolutions not to want to exhibit anything without your being in Paris. Between now and then you will be able to have an exhibition all of your own by adding everything to it that you do at St-Rmy. Do not be discouraged, work in those beautiful ﬁelds, take advantage of the models that nature provides you, with work health will return. Dear Mr Vincent, accept my sincere regards as well as those of my wife28 and my children29. Marcelle sends you a big kiss. I shake both your hands. Your entirely devoted Roulin30 Railway Postman No. 57 rue Breteuil When you have the time to honour me with a letter you will always give me great pleasure.

25 On the basis of provenance information, it can be ascertained that the Roulin family26 owned the following portraits: Augustine Roulin (La berceuse) (F 505 / JH 1669), Marcelle Roulin (F 441a / JH 1640), Armand Roulin (F 492 / JH 1642), Camille Roulin (F 537 / JH 1644), and a portrait of Roulin. It cannot be ascertained which portrait or portraits of Roulin were in their possession; see letter 774, n. 3.

27 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 28 Augustine Alex Roulin-Pelicot (1851-1930) wife of Joseph Roulin 29 Armand Joseph Dsir Roulin (1871-1945) son of Joseph Roulin 30 Joseph Etienne Roulin (1841-1903) postal worker in Arles and Marseille