To Theo van Gogh. Auvers-sur-Oise, Tuesday, 24 June 1890.

Tuesday, 24 June 1890

Metadata Source status: Original manuscript

Location: Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b692V/1962

Date: Vincent thanks Theo for the money he sent and his letter of 23 June. Because Jo van Gogh-Bonger dated the letter to 24 June 1890 in Brieven 1914, and she possibly had a postmark to rely on, we have maintained this dating.

Additional: We assume the letter is complete, even though the signature is lacking. Van Gogh enclosed an unknown letter from Peyron.

Original [1r:1] Mon cher Theo, merci beaucoup de ta lettre et du billet de fr. 50 quelle contenait. Lchange que tu as fait avec Bock1 est trs bien2 et suis bien curieux de voir comment il fait prsent. Jespre que la sant de Jo va mieux puisque tu dis quelle a t indispos. Certes il faut venir ici le plus tt possible, la nature est bien bien belle ici et je languis de vous revoir tous. M. Peyron ma crit il y a deux jours. ci joint sa lettre. je lui ai dit quil me semblait suffisant de donner aux garons une dizaine de francs.4 1 Read: Boch. 2 The painting obtained through an exchange was Eugne Boch3s The Agrappe mine in Frameries, Borinage (The Crachet-Pecry mine) . See letter 890, n. 2.

4 Peyron5s letter to Vincent and his reply to it are not known; the doctor must have written about the final settling of accounts, among other things. Peyrons letter of 1 July 1890 (letter 895) is his response to the letter Vincent says he has written here.

1 2 To Theo van Gogh. Auvers-sur-Oise, Tuesday, 24 June 1890.

Maintenant les toiles de l-bas sont arrives, les Iris ont bien sch et jose croire que tu y trouveras quelquechse;6 ainsi il y a aussi encore des roses, 7 un champ de bl, 8 une petite toile avec montagnes9 et enfin un cyprs avec une toile. 10 Cette semaine jai fait un portrait dune jeune fille de 16 ans ou peu prs, en bleu contre fond bleu, la fille des gens o je loge. Je le lui ai donn ce portrait mais jen ai fait pour toi une variante, une toile de 15.11 Puis jai une toile longue dun mtre sur 50 centimetres seulement de hauteur, de champs de bl14 et une qui fait pendant dun sous bois,[1v:2] des troncs lilas de peupliers et l-dessous de lherbe fleurie rose, jaune, blanche et verts divers. 15 Enfin un effet de soir deux poiriers touts noirs contre ciel jaunissant. avec des bles et dans le fond violet le chteau encaiss dans la verdure sombre.16 Le Hollandais17 travaille assez assidument mais se fait encore illusion sur loriginalit de sa manire de voir, considrablement. Il fait des tudes peu prs comme en faisait Koning. un peu de gris, un peu de vert avec un toit rouge, une route blanchissante. Que faut il dire dans un cas comme cela, sil a de largent alors certes il fait bien de faire de la peinture. mais sil faut quil intrigue beaucoup pour en vendre je le plains den faire, de la peinture, comme dautres den acheter un prix relativement trop elev. L, si pourtant il travaille seulement bien assidument tous les jours, il arriverait. Mais seul ou avec des peintres qui travaillent peu il ne ferait pas grand chose je crois.[1v:3] Jespre faire semaine prochaine le portrait de Mlle Gachet19 et peut tre aurai je une fille de la campagne poser aussi. Je suis content de ce que Bock me fait

6 Irises in a vase (F 680 / JH 1978) and Irises in a vase (F 678 / JH 1977). 7 Roses in a vase (F 681 / JH 1976) and Roses in a vase (F 682 / JH 1979). 8 This is Green wheatfield (F 718 / JH 1727). See cat. Otterlo 2003, p. 291. 9 Probably Landscape in the neighbourhood of Saint-Rmy (F 726 / JH 1874), which measures 33 x 41 cm. Another possibility is Orchard in blossom at the foot of the Alpilles (F 723 / JH 1722), which measures 37.5 x 30.5 cm. 10 Road with a cypress and a star (F 683 / JH 1982). 11 Adeline Ravoux (F 768 / JH 2035) and Adeline Ravoux (F 769 / JH 2037). The latter, measuring 71.5 x 53 cm and therefore a no. 15 canvas, did in fact come into Theos possession. Adeline12, the eldest daughter of the innkeepers Mr and Mrs Ravoux13, was 13 years old. Sixty-three years after the event, she wrote about posing for Van Gogh. See Ravoux 1957, and Hulsker 1990-1, p. 428. 14 This was Wheatfields (F 775 / JH 2038); Van Gogh included letter sketches after it in letters 893 and 896. 15 Couple walking between rows of poplars (F 773 / JH 2041). 16 Landscape at twilight (F 770 / JH 2040). 17 Anton Hirschig18. 19 This resulted in Marguerite Gachet at the piano (F 772 / JH 2048). To Theo van Gogh. Auvers-sur-Oise, Tuesday, 24 June 1890. 3 cet change car je trouvais quils avaient bien pay un peu cher relativement lautre toile20 tant des amis. Jaimerais beaucoup un peu plus tard venir Paris quelques jours, prcisement pour aller une fois chez Quost, chez Jeannin, un ou deux autres. je voudrais bien que tu eusses un Quost et il y aurait probablement moyen den echanger un.22 Gachet viendra aujourdhui voir les toiles du midi. Prosprit avec le petit et bonne poigne de main en pense toi et Jo.

Translation [1r:1] My dear Theo, Thanks very much for your letter and for the 50-franc note it contained. The exchange you made with Boch24 is very good,25 and am very curious to see what sort of thing hes making at present. I hope that Jo27s health is better, since you say that shes been indisposed. Indeed, you must come here as soon as possible, nature is very, very beautiful here, and Im longing to see you all again. Mr Peyron28 wrote to me two days ago. His letter is enclosed. I told him that it seemed to me sufficient to give the lads ten francs or so.29 Now the canvases from down there have arrived, the Irises have dried well and I dare believe that youll find something in them;31 thus there are also some roses,32 a wheatfield,33 a little canvas with mountains34 and finally a cypress with a star.35 This week Ive done a portrait of a young girl36 of 16 or so, in blue against a blue background,

20 For The red vineyard (F 495 / JH 1626), for which Bochs sister Anna21 had paid 400 francs, see letter 875, n. 2.

22 The exchange probably never took place. The estate does, however, contain a landscape drawing by Quost23. Quosts Garden with hollyhock, c. 1881-1890, must once have been in Theos possession as well, given its dedication: A Theo van Gogh / Ce tableau quaime tant mon ami Vincent / Bien amicalement / E. Quost (To Theo van Gogh / This painting that my friend Vincent loves so much / Best wishes / E. Quost). The painting disappeared from the family collection but was acquired in 1996 by the Vincent van Gogh Foundation (Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum). Ill. 2304. See Van Gogh Museum Journal. Amsterdam and Zwolle 1996, p. 203. 24 Eugne Guillaume Boch (1855-1941) Belgian artist 25 The painting obtained through an exchange was Eugne Boch26s The Agrappe mine in Frameries, Borinage (The Crachet-Pecry mine) . See letter 890, n. 2.

27 Johanna (Jo or Net) Gezina van Gogh-Bonger (1862-1925) wife of Theo van Gogh 28 Thophile Zacharie Auguste Peyron (1827-1895) director of the asylum in Saint-Rmy 29 Peyron30s letter to Vincent and his reply to it are not known; the doctor must have written about the final settling of accounts, among other things. Peyrons letter of 1 July 1890 (letter 895) is his response to the letter Vincent says he has written here. 31 Irises in a vase (F 680 / JH 1978) and Irises in a vase (F 678 / JH 1977). 32 Roses in a vase (F 681 / JH 1976) and Roses in a vase (F 682 / JH 1979). 33 This is Green wheatfield (F 718 / JH 1727). See cat. Otterlo 2003, p. 291. 34 Probably Landscape in the neighbourhood of Saint-Rmy (F 726 / JH 1874), which measures 33 x 41 cm. Another possibility is Orchard in blossom at the foot of the Alpilles (F 723 / JH 1722), which measures 37.5 x 30.5 cm. 35 Road with a cypress and a star (F 683 / JH 1982). 36 Adeline Ravoux 4 To Theo van Gogh. Auvers-sur-Oise, Tuesday, 24 June 1890.

the daughter of the people where Im lodging. I gave her that portrait but Ive done a variant for you, a no. 15 canvas.37 Then I have a canvas one metre long by only 50 centimetres high, of fields of wheat,40 and [1v:2] one that makes a pendant of undergrowth, lilac trunks of poplars, and underneath them some flower-dotted grass, pink, yellow, white and various greens.41 Finally a night effect two completely dark pear trees against yellowing sky with wheatfields, and in the violet background the castle encased in the dark greenery.42 The Dutchman43 44 is working quite assiduously, but still deludes himself considerably about the originality of his way of seeing. He does studies a little like Koning46 did, a little grey, a little green with a red roof, a whitening road. What can you say in a case like that, if he has money then certainly he does right to do painting. But if he has to scheme a lot to sell them I feel sorry for him doing it, painting, as I pity others for buying it at a price thats relatively too high. If, though, he just works assiduously every day, [1v:3] he might get there. But alone or with painters who work little he wouldnt do much, I think. I hope to do Miss Gachet47s portrait next week,48 and perhaps Ill also have a country girl to pose too. Im pleased that Boch49 is doing this exchange with me, for I thought that, relatively, theyd paid a little too much for the other canvas,50 being friends. Id very much like to come to Paris for a few days a little later, precisely in order to go and see Quost52 once, to see Jeannin53, one or two others. Id very much like you to have a Quost, and there would probably be a way of exchanging one.54 Gachet56 will come today to see the canvases from the south. Good fortune with the little one57, and good handshake in thought for you and Jo58.

(1877-1965) daughter of Arthur Gustave Ravoux 37 Adeline Ravoux (F 768 / JH 2035) and Adeline Ravoux (F 769 / JH 2037). The latter, measuring 71.5 x 53 cm and therefore a no. 15 canvas, did in fact come into Theos possession. Adeline38, the eldest daughter of the innkeepers Mr and Mrs Ravoux39, was 13 years old. Sixty-three years after the event, she wrote about posing for Van Gogh. See Ravoux 1957, and Hulsker 1990-1, p. 428. 40 This was Wheatfields (F 775 / JH 2038); Van Gogh included letter sketches after it in letters 893 and 896. 41 Couple walking between rows of poplars (F 773 / JH 2041). 42 Landscape at twilight (F 770 / JH 2040). 43 Anthonius (Anton, Tony) Matthias Hirschig (1867-1939) Dutch artist 44 Anton Hirschig45. 46 Arnold Hendrik Koning (1860-1945) Dutch artist 47 Clmentine Elisa Marguerite (Marguerite-Clmentine) Gachet (1869-1949) daughter of Paul-Ferdinand Gachet 48 This resulted in Marguerite Gachet at the piano (F 772 / JH 2048). 49 Eugne Guillaume Boch (1855-1941) Belgian artist 50 For The red vineyard (F 495 / JH 1626), for which Bochs sister Anna51 had paid 400 francs, see letter 875, n. 2.

52 Ernest Quost (1844-1931) French artist 53 Georges Jeannin (1841-1925) French artist 54 The exchange probably never took place. The estate does, however, contain a landscape drawing by Quost55. Quosts Garden with hollyhock, c. 1881-1890, must once have been in Theos possession as well, given its dedication: A Theo van Gogh / Ce tableau quaime tant mon ami Vincent / Bien amicalement / E. Quost (To Theo van Gogh / This painting that my friend Vincent loves so much / Best wishes / E. Quost). The painting disappeared from the family collection but was acquired in 1996 by the Vincent van Gogh Foundation (Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum). Ill. 2304. See Van Gogh Museum Journal. Amsterdam and Zwolle 1996, p. 203. 56 Paul-Ferdinand Gachet Sr (1828-1909) doctor in Auvers-sur-Oise 57 Vincent Willem van Gogh (1890-1978) son of Theo van Gogh 58 Johanna (Jo or Net) Gezina van Gogh-Bonger To Theo van Gogh. Auvers-sur-Oise, Tuesday, 24 June 1890. 5

(1862-1925) wife of Theo van Gogh