To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Friday, 2 March 1888.

on or about Friday, 2 March 1888

Metadata Source status: Original manuscript

Location: Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b506 V/1962

Date: Vincent thanks Theo for the 50 francs he had sent; this must be the first instalment of the March allowance. We have therefore dated the letter on or about Friday, 2 March 1888. This is borne out by what he says about the weather: Theres a hard frost here, and out in the country theres still snow. The weather reports for 2 March mention hoarfrost (Mto-France).

Additional: Original [1r:1] Mon cher Theo, Avec grand plaisir jai reu ta lettre et le brouillon de la lettre Tersteeg et le billet de 50 fr. Ta lettre Tersteeg est dans le brouillon tout fait bien, jespre tu ne lauras pas trop ereinte en la mettant au net. Il me semble que ta lettre Tersteeg complte la mienne moimme je regrettais ltat dans lequel je lavais mise la poste. Car tu te seras apercu que lide de faire prendre Tersteeg linitiative dintroduire les impressionistes en An- gleterre ne mtait venue quen crivant la lettre mme et dans celle ci ne se trouvait exprime quincompltement dans un P.S. surajout aprs-coup. Tandis que dans ta lettre tu lui expliques davantage cette ide-l. Comprendra-t-il? Dame cela le regarde. Jai reu ici une lettre de Gauguin1 qui dit quil a t malade au lit durant 15 jours. Quil est sec vu quil a eu

1 This is letter 581. Vincent was to send it to Theo to read, together with letter 583.

1 2 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Friday, 2 March 1888. des dettes criardes payer. Quil dsire savoir si tu lui as vendu quelque chse mais quil ne peut pas tcrire de crainte de te dranger. Quil est tellement press de gagner un peu dargent quil serait resolu de rabattre encore sur le prix de ses tableaux. Pour cette affaire je ne puis de mon ct rien que decrire Russell, 2 ce que je fais aujourdhui mme.[1v:2] Puis tout de mme on a cherch dj en faire acheter un par Tersteeg. 5 Mais que faire, il doit tre bien gn. Je tenvoie un petit mot pour lui pour le cas o tu aurais quelquechose lui communiquer, 7 seulement ouvre donc les lettres sil en vient pour moi car tu sauras plus tot le contenu ainsi faisant et cela mepargnera la peine de ten raconter le contenu. Ceci une fois pour toutes. Oserais tu lui prendre la marine pour la maison, 9 si cela se pourrait il serait momentanment labri. Cest maintenant trs bien que tu ayes pris le jeune Koning, 12 je suis si content que tu ne resteras pas tout seul dans ton appartement. A Paris on est toujours navr comme un cheval de fiacre14 et si on doit encore rest seul avec a dans son table ce serait trop fort. Pour lexpositions des Independants16 fais comme bon te sembleras. Quen dirais-tu dy exposer les deux grands paysages de la butte Montmartre. Pour moi cela mest plus ou moins gal,[1v:3]

2 Van Gogh wanted to ask John Peter Russell3, whom he had got to know in Paris, to buy a painting from Gauguin4. He repeatedly returned to this question; Russell, however, was non-committal, as we learn from letters 616, 650 and 679. 5 We do not know which of Gauguin6s works this was, but there is a good chance that it was one of the five paintings that Theo had on commission. See letter 581, n. 2.

7 It emerges from letter 583 that on second thoughts Van Gogh wrote to Gauguin8 direct rather than enclosing a letter for him. 9 Paul Gauguin10, The beach at Dieppe, 1885 (Copenhagen, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek; W178/W166). Ill. 2143. This work had been on commission with Boussod, Valadon & Cie11 since December 1887; see letter 581, n. 2. Theo sent it to the Hague branch in March 1888. See letter 589, n. 4.

12 Koning13 Van Gogh refers to him as young was 27 at this time. 14 In his letters Van Gogh repeatedly used the image of a worn-out cab-horse as a metaphor for the hard life of man in general and the artist in particular. See e.g. letters 148, 211, 599 and 611. In the Netherlands he had read the poetry of Franois Coppe15, who had written a poem, Cheval de Renfort, about it (from the collection Le cahier rouge ). See Coppe 1880, p. 163. 16 The fourth exhibition of the Socit des Artistes Indpendants was due to be staged in Paris from 22 March to 3 May 1888. This society, founded in 1884 by Odilon Redon, Albert Dubois-Pillet, Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Charles Angrand and Henri Edmond Cross, invited artists to exhibit at its alternative Salon, where the works were not adjudicated. To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Friday, 2 March 1888. 3 je compte plutt un peu sur le travail de cette anne.17 Ici il gle ferme et dans la campagne il y a toujours de la neige jai une etude dune campagne blanchie avec la ville dans le fond. 19 Puis 2 petites tudes dune branche damandier dj en fleur pourtant.20 Voici pour aujourdhui, jecris en- core un petit mot Koning.21 Vraiment je suis bien content que tu aies cris Tersteeg et jai esprance que cela sera la renaissance de tes relations en Hollande. Avec une poignee de main toi et aux copains que tu pourrais rencontrer. b. t. Vincent

Translation [1r:1] My dear Theo I was very pleased to receive your letter and the rough draft of the letter to Tersteeg24 and the 50-franc note. Your letter to Tersteeg25 is perfectly good in the draft, I hope you didnt spoil it too much when making a fair copy. It seems to me that your letter to Tersteeg26 adds to mine myself, I regretted the state in which I had posted it. Because youll have noticed that the idea of getting Tersteeg to take the initiative in introducing the Impressionists to England only came to me when writing the actual letter, and was only partially expressed in a P.S. added afterwards. While in your letter you explain that idea to him more fully. Will he understand? Indeed it concerns him.

17 These landscapes are Montmartre: behind the Moulin de la Galette (F 316 / JH 1246) and Vegetable gardens in Montmartre (F 350 / JH 1245). The third work Theo chose was Piles of French novels and roses in a glass (Romans parisiens) (F 359 / JH 1332); see letter 584, n. 13. See Socit des Artistes Indpendants. Catalogue des Oeuvres exposs. 4e Exposition. Exhib. cat. Paris 1888, p. 42, cat. nos. 658-660. Theo interpreted Vincents offhand attitude towards the selection of the works as a sign that he did not really care about being represented at this exhibition: He himself doesnt attach much importance to this exhibition, but here, where there are so many painters, its essential to make himself known and the exhibition is the best means of doing it (FR b915, Theo to Willemien18, 14 March 1888). 19 Landscape with snow (F 391 / JH 1358); cf. for this identification: letter 578, n. 13.

20 Sprig of almond blossom in a glass (F 392 / JH 1361) and Sprig of almond blossom in a glass (F 393 / JH 1362); they both measure 24 x 19 cm. 21 This enclosed letter to Koning22 is not known. Theo told Willemien23 about Koning in his letter of 14 March 1888: It still seems strange to me that he [Vincent] has gone, he was so important to me in recent times. Now the studio will soon be occupied again, by a young Dutch painter, but he has by no means as much talent as Vincent, although hes not bad (FR b915). 24 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague 25 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague 26 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague 4 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Friday, 2 March 1888.

Ive had a letter here from Gauguin27,28 who says hes been ill in bed for a fortnight. That hes broke, since hes had to pay off some pressing debts. That hed like to know if youve sold anything for him but that he cant write to you for fear of bothering you. That hes under so much pressure to earn a little money hed be determined to reduce the price of his paintings still further. I can do nothing about this business from my end except write to Russell29,30 which Ill do this very day.[1v:2] And after all, weve already tried to get Tersteeg33 to buy one.34 But what can we do, he must really be hard up. Im sending you a few lines for him in case you have something to tell him,36 but open letters if any come for me, because youll know sooner whats in them if you do that and that will save me the trouble of telling you whats in them. This goes once and for all. Would you risk buying the seascape from him for the firm?38 If that were possible he would be out of difficulties for the time being. Now its very good that youve taken in young Koning41,42 Im so glad you wont be living alone in your apartment. In Paris one is always suffering, like a cab-horse,44 and if on top of that you have to live alone in your stable it would be too much. About the Independents exhibition,46 do whatever you see fit. What would you say to showing the two large landscapes of the Butte Montmartre there? Its [1v:3] all much the same to me, Im inclined to place slightly more hopes in this years work.47 Theres a hard frost here, and out in the country theres still snow I have a study of a whitened landscape with the town in the background.49 And then 2 little studies of a branch of an almond

27 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 28 This is letter 581. Vincent was to send it to Theo to read, together with letter 583. 29 John Peter Russell (1858-1930) Australian artist 30 Van Gogh wanted to ask John Peter Russell31, whom he had got to know in Paris, to buy a painting from Gauguin32. He repeatedly returned to this question; Russell, however, was non-committal, as we learn from letters 616, 650 and 679. 33 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague 34 We do not know which of Gauguin35s works this was, but there is a good chance that it was one of the five paintings that Theo had on commission. See letter 581, n. 2.

36 It emerges from letter 583 that on second thoughts Van Gogh wrote to Gauguin37 direct rather than enclosing a letter for him. 38 Paul Gauguin39, The beach at Dieppe, 1885 (Copenhagen, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek; W178/W166). Ill. 2143. This work had been on commission with Boussod, Valadon & Cie40 since December 1887; see letter 581, n. 2. Theo sent it to the Hague branch in March 1888. See letter 589, n. 4.

41 Arnold Hendrik Koning (1860-1945) Dutch artist 42 Koning43 Van Gogh refers to him as young was 27 at this time. 44 In his letters Van Gogh repeatedly used the image of a worn-out cab-horse as a metaphor for the hard life of man in general and the artist in particular. See e.g. letters 148, 211, 599 and 611. In the Netherlands he had read the poetry of Franois Coppe45, who had written a poem, Cheval de Renfort, about it (from the collection Le cahier rouge ). See Coppe 1880, p. 163. 46 The fourth exhibition of the Socit des Artistes Indpendants was due to be staged in Paris from 22 March to 3 May 1888. This society, founded in 1884 by Odilon Redon, Albert Dubois-Pillet, Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Charles Angrand and Henri Edmond Cross, invited artists to exhibit at its alternative Salon, where the works were not adjudicated. 47 These landscapes are Montmartre: behind the Moulin de la Galette (F 316 / JH 1246) and Vegetable gardens in Montmartre (F 350 / JH 1245). The third work Theo chose was Piles of French novels and roses in a glass (Romans parisiens) (F 359 / JH 1332); see letter 584, n. 13. See Socit des Artistes Indpendants. Catalogue des Oeuvres exposs. 4e Exposition. Exhib. cat. Paris 1888, p. 42, cat. nos. 658-660. Theo interpreted Vincents offhand attitude towards the selection of the works as a sign that he did not really care about being represented at this exhibition: He himself doesnt attach much importance to this exhibition, but here, where there are so many painters, its essential to make himself known and the exhibition is the best means of doing it (FR b915, Theo to Willemien48, 14 March 1888). 49 Landscape with snow (F 391 / JH 1358); cf. for this identification: letter 578, n. 13. To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Friday, 2 March 1888. 5 tree thats already in flower despite everything.50 Enough for today, Im writing a note to Koning51.52 Im really very pleased that youve written to Tersteeg55, and I have hopes that this will be the renewal of your relations in Holland. With a handshake to you and to any pals you may meet. Yours truly, Vincent

50 Sprig of almond blossom in a glass (F 392 / JH 1361) and Sprig of almond blossom in a glass (F 393 / JH 1362); they both measure 24 x 19 cm. 51 Arnold Hendrik Koning (1860-1945) Dutch artist 52 This enclosed letter to Koning53 is not known. Theo told Willemien54 about Koning in his letter of 14 March 1888: It still seems strange to me that he [Vincent] has gone, he was so important to me in recent times. Now the studio will soon be occupied again, by a young Dutch painter, but he has by no means as much talent as Vincent, although hes not bad (FR b915). 55 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague