Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Friday, 4 October 1889.

Friday, 4 October 1889

Metadata Source status: Original manuscript

Location: Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b745 V/1962

Date: Letter headed: le 4 Oct 1889.

Additional: Original [1r:1] le 4 Oct. 1889 Mon cher Vincent, Jai trop tard tcrire pour te dire que ton dernier envoi est arriv en bon ordre. Jaime beaucoup le champ de bl & les montagnes qui sont dune dessin bien expressif. Il y a dans le champ de bl ce ct inbranlable qua la nature mme dans ses aspects les plus [1v:2] farouches. Le verger est bien beau aussi.1 Isaacson qui crit dans le dernier temps dans un journal Hollandais voudrait crire sur tes travaux.2 Il ma demand davoir 1 The wheatfield, mountains and orchard are Wheatfield after a storm (F 611 / JH 1723), The Alpilles with a hut (F 622 / JH 1766) and Orchard (F 511 / JH 1386), respectively. See letter 805. 2 In August-September 1889 Isacson3 wrote a series of articles in a sensitivist, impressionistic style titled Paris letters, for De Portefeuille. Kunst- en Letterbode: Parijsche brieven i. Praatjes en impressies over den 14den Juli (Paris letters i. Conversations and impressions of the 14th July) on 3 August 1889, pp. 224-226; Parijsche brieven ii. Gevoelens over de Nederlandsche kunst op de Parijsche Wereld-tentoonstelling (Paris letters ii. Feelings about the Dutch art at the Paris World Exhibition) on 10 August 1889, pp. 233-234; Parijsche brieven iii. Gevoelens over de Nederlandsche kunst op de Parijsche Wereld-tentoonstelling. ii (Paris letters iii. Feelings about the Dutch art at the Paris World Exhibition. ii), on 17 August 1889, pp. 248-249; Parijsche brieven iv. Op de tentoonstelling (Paris

1 2 Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Friday, 4 October 1889. de certaines choses chez lui, entre autres les montagnes & le champ de bl. Quand je tenverrai les reproductions de Millet4 je joindrai les articles dIsaacson, je naime pas ses recherches de nouveaux mots mais au fond il parle de bonnes choses ce que la pluspart des critiques dart ne font pas. Ta lettre ma fait bien plaisir & je ten remercie bien. Je sens bien que dans des moments de[1v:3] grande excitation lentourage des bonnes soeurs ne doit pas te tranquiliser. 6 Le Dr Peyron est venu me voir & celui l me semble bien dispos pour toi. Jaime bien sa phisionomie. Voii ce quil ma dit. Il ne te considre pas du tout comme fou & dit que les crises que tu as eu sont de nature pileptique. Pour le moment il dit que tu es absolument sain & sil ny avait pas si peu de temps que tu ais eu une crise il taurait dj encourag sortir plus souvent de ltablissement. Il me dit que ton voyage Arles7 ayant provoqu une crise il faudrait voir avant de changer de demeure si tu peux maintenant supporter un changement.[1r:4] Si tu supportes bien ces preuves il ny voit pas dinconvenient que tu le quittes. Maintenant jai vu Pissarro & je lui ai parl de laffaire. Je crois que lui na pas grande chose dire la maison o sa femme porte la culotte. Aprs quelques jours il ma dit que chez lui ce ntait pas possible mais quil connait quelcun Auvers, qui est mdecin & fait de la peinture dans ses moments perdus. Il me dit que cest un homme qui a t en rapport avec tous les impressionistes.8 Il croit letters iv. At the exhibition) on 24 August 1889, pp. 260-261; Parijsche brieven v. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst en Fransche poseurkunst. iii (Paris letters v. Feelings about Dutch art and French poseurs art iii) on 31 August 1889, pp. 268-270; Parijsche brieven vi. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst op de Parijsche tentoonstelling. iv (Paris letters vi. Feelings about Dutch art at the Paris exhibition. iv) on 21 September 1889, pp. 307-309; Parijsche brieven vii. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst op de Parijsche tentoonstelling. v (Paris letters vii. Feelings about Dutch art at the Paris exhibition. v) on 28 September 1889, pp. 316-317. 4 Van Gogh had asked for reproductions of Millet5s The Diggers , The sower , Winter: The plain of Chailly and The four times of the day ; see letter 805. 6 In letter 805 Vincent had written that the religious nature of the asylum at Saint-Rmy was the most important reason for him to move. 7 Shortly before 14 July, Van Gogh had travelled under supervision to Arles to collect paintings he had left behind; see letter 789. 8 Camille Pissarro9 must have met Theo before 28 September 1889, since he wrote on that date from Paris to his wife Julie10: Van Gogh asked me if it would be convenient for us to take his brother with us next spring; the doctors where he is have pronounced that he is cured, that his trouble may come back, however, but in brief attacks. I told Van Gogh that that wasnt possible for us, that you had a lot of problems with the children, but that Ill see if we couldnt find a place where he could live quietly and work; that isnt easy. (Van Gogh ma demand si il ne Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Friday, 4 October 1889. 3 que chez celui l tu pourrais probablement rester.14 Il doit aller le voir & lui parlera de laffaire.15 Si tu pouvais trouver dans ces environs-l, ce serait une bonne chose car je crois que la Bretagne a aussi ce caractre de cloitre et mme dans les derniers Gauguin cela se ressent beaucoup, je trouve.17 Demain Bernard doit venir voir tes tableaux et jirai chez lui voir ce quil a rapport.19 Je suis content en somme que tu vas mieux, si ton changement de domicile tammenait dabord Paris cela me ferait bien plaisir. Nous avons de bonnes nouvelles de la mre & de Wil. Jo va bien aussi & te dit bien bonjour. Bonne poigne de mains. Theo

Translation [1r:1] 4 October 1889 My dear Vincent, Ive delayed too long in writing to you to tell you that your last consignment arrived in good order. I very much like the wheatfield and the mountains, which are drawn with great expression. There is in the wheatfield that unshakeable side that nature has, even in its wildest aspects. The orchard [1v:2] is very beautiful too.21 Isacson, who has lately been writing in a Dutch newspaper, would like to write about your works.22 Hes asked me if he may have certain things at his home, among others the mountains and the wheatfield. When I send you the reproductions of Millet24 25 Ill enclose nous conviendrait pas de prendre son frre avec nous au printemps prochain, les mdecins o il se trouve ont dclar quil tait guri, que son mal cependant peut revenir, mais par petits accs. Jai dit Van Gogh que cela ne nous tait pas possible, que tu avais beaucoup de mal avec les enfants, mais que je verrai si nous ne pourrions pas trouver un endroit o il pourrait vivre tranquille et travailler, ce nest pas facile.) See Correspondance Pissarro 1980-1991, vol. 2, pp. 297-299. The doctor Theo writes about was Paul-Ferdinand Gachet11. He lived in Auvers, about 30 km north-west of Paris. He was acquainted with Pissarro, Czanne12 and Guillaumin13, among others, and was, moreover, an amateur painter and etcher. A specialist in nervous disorders, he entertained modern ideas on the subject, advocating homeopathic medicine and using electric shock therapy to treat patients. He had an office in Paris where he treated patients several days a week. See Hulsker 1990-1, p. 418, and exhib. cat. Paris 1999. 14 Read: sjourner. 15 Pissarro16 lived in Eragny-par-Gisors (Val-dOise)near Pontoise, about 10 km west of Auvers. 17 At the beginning of September, Gauguin18 had sent Theo several recent canvases from Pont-Aven; see letter 799, n. 10. 19 Bernard20 had spent the month of August in Saint-Briac in Brittany, but was back in Paris in September. See exhib. cat. Mannheim 1990, p. 98. 21 The wheatfield, mountains and orchard are Wheatfield after a storm (F 611 / JH 1723), The Alpilles with a hut (F 622 / JH 1766) and Orchard (F 511 / JH 1386), respectively. See letter 805. 22 In August-September 1889 Isacson23 wrote a series of articles in a sensitivist, impressionistic style titled Paris letters, for De Portefeuille. Kunst- en Letterbode: Parijsche brieven i. Praatjes en impressies over den 14den Juli (Paris letters i. Conversations and impressions of the 14th July) on 3 August 1889, pp. 224-226; Parijsche brieven ii. Gevoelens over de Nederlandsche kunst op de Parijsche Wereld-tentoonstelling (Paris letters ii. Feelings about the Dutch art at the Paris World Exhibition) on 10 August 1889, pp. 233-234; Parijsche brieven iii. Gevoelens over de Nederlandsche kunst op de Parijsche Wereld-tentoonstelling. ii (Paris letters iii. Feelings about the Dutch art at the Paris World Exhibition. ii), on 17 August 1889, pp. 248-249; Parijsche brieven iv. Op de tentoonstelling (Paris letters iv. At the exhibition) on 24 August 1889, pp. 260-261; Parijsche brieven v. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst en Fransche poseurkunst. iii (Paris letters v. Feelings about Dutch art and French poseurs art iii) on 31 August 1889, pp. 268-270; Parijsche brieven vi. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst op de Parijsche tentoonstelling. iv (Paris letters vi. Feelings about Dutch art at the Paris exhibition. iv) on 21 September 1889, pp. 307-309; Parijsche brieven vii. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst op de Parijsche tentoonstelling. v (Paris letters vii. Feelings about Dutch art at the Paris exhibition. v) on 28 September 1889, pp. 316-317. 24 Jean-Franois Millet (1814-1875) French artist 25 Van Gogh had asked for reproductions of Millet26s The Diggers , The sower , Winter: The plain of Chailly and The four times of the day ; see letter 805. 4 Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Friday, 4 October 1889.

Isacson27s articles, I dont like his researches into new words, but basically he talks of good things, which the majority of art critics do not. Your letter gives me much pleasure, and I thank you very [1v:3] much for it. I can certainly feel that being surrounded by the nuns in moments of great agitation must not have a calming effect on you.28 Dr Peyron29 came to see me, and he seems well disposed towards you. I like his physiognomy very much. Heres what he told me. He doesnt consider you mad at all, and says that the crises you have are of an epileptic nature. For the moment he says that youre absolutely healthy, and if it werent such a short time since youd had a crisis he would already have encouraged you to go outside the establishment more often. He tells me that as your trip to Arles30 brought on a crisis [1r:4] one would have to see if you can now bear a change before changing residence. If you bear these ordeals well, he sees nothing against your leaving him. Now Ive seen Pissarro31 and Ive talked to him about the matter. I think that he doesnt have much to say at home, where his wife32 wears the trousers. After a few days he told me that it wasnt possible at his home, but that he knows someone in Auvers, whos a doctor33 and does painting in his free moments. He tells me that hes a man who has been in touch with all the Impressionists.34 He thinks that you could probably stay at his home. Hell go and see him and speak to him about the matter.40 If you could find something around there, that would be a good thing, for I think that Brittany also has this cloister-like quality, and one feels that a lot even in the latest Gauguin42s, I find.43 Tomorrow Bernard45 is to come and see your paintings, and Ill go to his home to see what hes brought back.46 All in all Im happy that youre better, if your change of residence brought you first to Paris, that would give me great pleasure.

27 Joseph Jacob Isacson (1859-1942) Dutch writer and artist 28 In letter 805 Vincent had written that the religious nature of the asylum at Saint-Rmy was the most important reason for him to move. 29 Thophile Zacharie Auguste Peyron (1827-1895) director of the asylum in Saint-Rmy 30 Shortly before 14 July, Van Gogh had travelled under supervision to Arles to collect paintings he had left behind; see letter 789. 31 Camille Jacob Pissarro (1830-1903) French artist 32 Julie Pissarro-Vellay (1838-1926) wife of Camille Pissarro 33 Paul-Ferdinand Gachet Sr (1828-1909) doctor in Auvers-sur-Oise 34 Camille Pissarro35 must have met Theo before 28 September 1889, since he wrote on that date from Paris to his wife Julie36: Van Gogh asked me if it would be convenient for us to take his brother with us next spring; the doctors where he is have pronounced that he is cured, that his trouble may come back, however, but in brief attacks. I told Van Gogh that that wasnt possible for us, that you had a lot of problems with the children, but that Ill see if we couldnt find a place where he could live quietly and work; that isnt easy. (Van Gogh ma demand si il ne nous conviendrait pas de prendre son frre avec nous au printemps prochain, les mdecins o il se trouve ont dclar quil tait guri, que son mal cependant peut revenir, mais par petits accs. Jai dit Van Gogh que cela ne nous tait pas possible, que tu avais beaucoup de mal avec les enfants, mais que je verrai si nous ne pourrions pas trouver un endroit o il pourrait vivre tranquille et travailler, ce nest pas facile.) See Correspondance Pissarro 1980-1991, vol. 2, pp. 297-299. The doctor Theo writes about was Paul-Ferdinand Gachet37. He lived in Auvers, about 30 km north-west of Paris. He was acquainted with Pissarro, Czanne38 and Guillaumin39, among others, and was, moreover, an amateur painter and etcher. A specialist in nervous disorders, he entertained modern ideas on the subject, advocating homeopathic medicine and using electric shock therapy to treat patients. He had an office in Paris where he treated patients several days a week. See Hulsker 1990-1, p. 418, and exhib. cat. Paris 1999. 40 Pissarro41 lived in Eragny-par-Gisors (Val-dOise)near Pontoise, about 10 km west of Auvers. 42 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 43 At the beginning of September, Gauguin44 had sent Theo several recent canvases from Pont-Aven; see letter 799, n. 10. 45 Emile Bernard (1868-1941) French artist and writer 46 Bernard47 had spent the month of August in Saint-Briac in Brittany, but was back in Paris in September. See exhib. cat. Mannheim 1990, p. 98. Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Friday, 4 October 1889. 5

We have good news of Mother48 and of Wil49. Jo50 is well too, and sends warm regards. Good handshake. Theo

48 Anna Cornelia van Gogh-Carbentus (1819-1907) wife of Theodorus van Gogh, mother of Vincent 49 Willemina (Wil or Willemien) Jacoba van Gogh (1862-1941) sister of Vincent 50 Johanna (Jo or Net) Gezina van Gogh-Bonger (1862-1925) wife of Theo van Gogh