To Theo . , on or about Monday, 13 August 1888.

on or about Monday, 13 August 1888

Metadata Source status: Original manuscript

Location: Amsterdam, , inv. nos. b565 a-b V/1962

Date: The letter was written before Wednesday, 15 August, the day Van Gogh sent a telegram to Theo to tell him that Milliet would be arriving on Friday (letter 661) in the present letter he still thinks it will be Sunday. It is also likely that it follows letter 659 of about Sunday, 12 August: in that one he acknowledges receipt of his painting supplies, and this would have enabled him to start the new study of barges with men unloading sand that he mentions here. This dating also makes it plausible for to have asked Theo whether the drawings he sent on 8 August (letter 657) had meanwhile arrived. For all these reasons we have dated the letter on or about Monday, 13 August 1888.

Additional: Original [1r:1] Mon cher Theo. hier jai pass la soire avec ce sous lieutenant et il compte partir Vendredi dici alors il sarrtera une nuit Clermont et de Clermont il tenverra une dpche pour te dire par quel train il arrive. Dimanche matin selon toutes probabilits. Le rouleau quil tapportera contient 36 tudes, 1 dans le nombre il y en a beaucoup dont je suis desesprement mcontent et

1 This second consignment from Arles can be reconstructed to a significant extent. As well as the five works mentioned by Van Gogh (see nn. 2 -6 below), the batch certainly included the following seven paintings, which we know that Theo had from later letters: Joseph Roulin (F 433 / JH 1524), Mousm (F 431 / JH 1519), The harvest (F 412 / JH 1440), Fishing boats at sea (F 417 / JH 1453), Newly mown lawn with a weeping tree (F 428 / JH 1499), Cottages in Saintes-Maries (F 419 / JH 1465) and Rocks with a tree (F 466 / JH 1489). See letters 662, 673, 678 and 680. It can be assumed from the provenance (Jo van Gogh-Bonger2) that the following 22 works, painted between May and August 1888 and for the most part mentioned in the letters, were also part of the consignment: View of

1 2 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888.

que pourtant je tenvoie lorsque3 cela te donnera quand mme une ide vague de bien beaux motifs dans la nature. il y a par exemple une pochade que jai faite de moi charg de boites, de batons, dune toile, sur la route ensoleille de Tarascon, 4 il y a une vue du Rhne o le ciel et leau sont dune couleur dabsinthe avec un pont bleu et des figures de voyous noires, 5 il y a le semeur, 6 un lavoir, 7 et dautres encore tout fait mal venus et inachevs, surtout [1v:2] un grand paysage avec des brousailles. 8 Quest devenu le Souvenir de Mauve, 9 nen ayant plus entendu parler jai t port croire que Tersteeg taurait dit quelquechose de desagrable pour faire savoir quon le refuserait ou autre misre. Naturellement je ne men ferais pas de mauvais sang dans ce cas. Je travaille dans ce moment une etude comme ceci des bateaux vu den haut dun quai, les deux bateaux sont dun rose violac, leau est trs verte, pas de ciel, un drapeau tricolore au mt. Un ouvrier avec une brouette dcharge du sable.11

Arles with in the foreground (F 409 / JH 1416), Farmhouse in a wheatfield (F 408 / JH 1417), Landscape with the edge of a road (F 567 / JH 1419), Field with farmhouses (F 576 / JH 1423), Still life with coffeepot (F 410 / JH 1426), Basket of lemons (F 384 / JH 1425), Daisies in a bowl (F 591 / JH 1429), Fishing boats at sea (F 415 / JH 1452), Fishing boats on the beach at Saintes-Maries (F 413 / JH 1460), Row of cottages in Saintes-Maries (F 420 / JH 1462), Wheatfield with setting sun (F 465 / JH 1473), Zouave (F 423 / JH 1486), Seated Zouave (F 424 / JH 1488), Garden with flowers (F 430 / JH 1510), Garden with flowers (F 429 / JH 1513), Farmhouse (F 565 / JH 1443), (F 535 / JH 1467), Wheatfield (F 411 / JH 1476), Arles seen from the wheatfields (F 545 / JH 1477), Wheatfield with sheaves (F 561 / JH 1480), Wheatfield (F 564 / JH 1475) and Wheatfield with sheaves (F 558 / JH 1481). The following works from the May-August 1888 period, whose provenance cannot be traced back to Jo van Gogh-Bonger with certainty, are candidates for the remaining two studies in the batch: The Langlois bridge with a lady with a parasol (F 570 / JH 1421), Wild flowers in a majolica jug (F 600 / JH 1424), View of Saintes-Maries (F 416 / JH 1447) and Wheat stacks (F 425 / JH 1442). The last of these is signed, and this makes it likely that it was sent to Theo (cf. the remark about signing works at the end of the letter). 3 Read: puisque. 4 The painter on the road to Tarascon (F 448 / JH 1491). 5 The Trinquetaille bridge (F 426 / JH 1468). 6 Sower with setting sun (F 422 / JH 1470). 7 Canal with washerwomen (F 427 / JH 1490). 8 (F - / JH -). See letter 636, n. 3.

9 Pink peach trees (Souvenir de Mauve) (F 394 / JH 1379), dedicated to Mauve10 and given to his widow. See letter 590, n. 5.

11 The letter sketch Quay with sand barges (F - / JH 1557) is after the painting Quay with sand barges (F 449 / To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888. 3

Jen ai aussi un dessin.12 As tu reu les trois dessins du jardin. 14 On finira par ne plus les prendre la poste parceque le format est trop grand. Je crains que je naurai pas un bien beau modle de femme. elle avait promis puis elle a ce qui parait gagn des sous en [1v:3] faisant la noce et a mieux faire. Elle tait extraordinaire, le regard tait comme celui de Delacroix. et une tournure bizarre primitive. Je prends les chses avec patience faute de voir dautres moyens de les supporter mais cest agaant cette contrarit continuelle avec les modles. Jespre faire de ces jours ci une tude de lauriers roses.15 Si on peignait lisse comme Bouguereau les gens nauraient pas honte de se laisser peindre mais je crois que cela ma fait perdre des modles quon trouvait que cetait mal fait, ce ntait que des tableaux pleins de peinture que je faisais. Alors les bonnes putains ont peur de se compromettre et quon se moquera de leur portrait. Mais il y a de quoi se dcourager presque quant on sent quon pourrait faire des chses si les gens avaient plus de bonne volont. Je ne peux pas me rsigner dire les raisins sont verts, 16 je ne men console pas de ne pas avoir plus de modles. Enfin il faut patienter et en rechercher dautres. Maintenant la soeur viendra bientt passer un temps avec toi, je nen doute pas quelle samusera.18 [1r:4] Cest une perspective assez triste de devoir se dire que jamais peuttre la peinture que je fais aura une valeur quelconque. Si cela valait ce que cela coute je pourrais me dire, je ne me suis jamais occup de largent. Mais dans les circonstances prsentes au contraire on en absorbe. Enfin et tout de mme il faut encore continuer et chercher mieux faire. Bien souvent il me semble plus sage daller chez Gauguin au lieu de lui recommander la vie dici, je crains tant quau bout du compte il ne se plaigne davoir t drang. Ici cela nous sera-t-il possible de vivre chez nous, pourrons nous arriver

JH 1558). 12 The drawing is Quay with sand barges (F 1462 / JH 1556). Van Gogh added the drawing from the consignment that Milliet13 took to Theo; see letter 662. 14 Garden with flowers (F 1456 / JH 1537), Garden of a bathhouse (F 1457 / JH 1539) and Garden with flowers (F 1455 / JH 1512). See letter 657. 15 Van Gogh made two paintings of oleanders: Oleander branches in a majolica jug (F 593 / JH 1566) and Oleander branches in a majolica jug (F 594 / JH 1567). 16 The saying grapes are sour is taken from Jean de La Fontaine17, Le renard et les raisins , Fables , iii, 11. See Fontaine 1974, vol. 1, p. 122. 18 Willemien19 stayed with Theo for a couple of weeks; she went to Paris on 15 August (FR b2421) and stayed until early September (letter 672). Originally Elisabeth20 was to have gone with her; cf. letter 615, n. 7. 4 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888. joindre les deux bouts. lorsque21 cela cest un essai nouveau. Or en Bretagne nous pouvons calculer ce que cela coutera et ici je nen sais rien. Je continue trouver la vie assez chre et on navance gure avec les gens. Ici il y aurait des lits et quelques meubles acheter puis les frais de son voyage et tout ce quil doit. Cela me parait risquer plus que de juste lorsque en Bretagne Bernard et lui dpensent si peu. Enfin il faudra bientt se dcider et de mon ct je nai pas de preferences. Cest la simple question de decider o nous avons le plus de chance de vivre bon march.[2r:5] Je dois crire encore aujourdhui Gauguin pour lui demander ce quil paye des modles et pour savoir sil y en a. Voil si on se fait vieux il faut bien rayer ce qui est illusion et calculer avant de se lancer dans les chses. Et si on peut croire tant plus jeune que par le travail assidu on puisse suffire ses besoins, cela devient de plus en plus douteux actuellement. Jai encore dit cela Gauguin dans ma dernire lettre. que si on peignait comme Bouguereau qualors on pouvait esprer de gagner mais que le public ne changera jamais et naime que les choses douces et lisses. Avec un talent plus austre il faut pas compter sur le produit de son travail, la plupart des gens intelligents assez pour comprendre et aimer les tableaux impressionistes sont et resteront trop pauvres pour acheter. Est ce que Gauguin ou moi travaillerons moins pour cela non mais nous serons obligs daccepter la pauvret et lisolement social de parti pris. Et pour commencer installons nous l o la vie cote le moins. Tant mieux si le succes vient, tant mieux si un jour nous nous trouvions plus au large.[2v:6] ce qui me frappe le plus au coeur dans loeuvre de Zola cest cette figure de Bongrand-Jundt. Cest si vrai ce quil dit: Vous croyez, malheureux, que lorsque lartiste a conquis son talent et sa reputation, qualors il est labri? Au contraire alors il lui est defendu dsormais de produire une chse pas tout fait bien. Sa rputation mme loblige soigner dautant plus son travail que les chances de vente se rarifient. Au moindre signe de faiblesse toute la meute jalouse lui tombe dessus et demolit justement cette reputation et cette foi quun public changeant et perfide momentanment a eue en lui.22 21 Read: puisque. 22 Cf. the following passage from chapter 7: Oh, the funk! You young people, you think you know it, but you cant even imagine it, because, dear God, you folk, if you make a bad job of a work, youre at liberty to do your To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888. 5

Plus fort que cela est ce que dit Carlyle. Vous connaissez les lucioles qui au Brsil sont si lumineux que les dames le soir les piquent avec des epingles dans leur chevelure. Cest trs beau la gloire mais l, voil, cest lartiste ce que lpingle de toilette est ces insectes. Vous voulez russir et briller, savez vous au juste ce que vous dsirez. 30 Or jai en horreur le succes, je crains le lendemain de fte dune russite des impressionistes, les jours difficiles dj de maintenant nous paratront plus tard le bon temps. Eh bien Gauguin et moi nous devons prvoir, nous devons travailler avoir un toit sur la tte, des lits, lindispensable enfin pour soutenir le siege de linsuccs qui durera toute notre existence. [2v:7] et nous devons nous fixer dans lendroit le moins cher. Alors nous aurons la tranquilit necessaire de produire beaucoup, mme en vendant peu ou pas. mais si les dpenses excedaient les revenus nous aurions tort de trop esperer que tout sarrangera par la vente de nos tableaux. Nous serions au contraire obligs de nous en dfaire tout prix au mauvais moment. utmost to make a better one; nobody will slate you, whereas we, the old men, who have shown our stature, who are obliged to measure up to ourselves, if not to make progress; we cannot slacken without tumbling into a common grave. Go then, famous man, great artist, cudgel your brains, get your blood up, to rise still further, ever higher, ever higher; and, if, at the summit, you find yourself treading on the spot, count yourself fortunate, use your feet to tread for as long as possible, and if you feel youre going downhill, well then, stop breaking yourself, wallowing in the death-throes of your talent, which is outmoded, in the neglect of your immortal works in which you find yourself, overwhelmed by your impotent efforts to create more! (Ah! le trac, jeunes gens, vous croyez le connatre, et vous ne vous en doutez mme pas, parce que, mon Dieu! vous autres, si vous ratez un oeuvre, vous en tes quittes pour vous efforcer den faire une meilleure, personne ne vous accable; tandis que nous, les vieux, nous qui avons donn notre mesure, qui sommes forcs dtre gaux nous-mmes, sinon de progresser, nous ne pouvons faiblir, sans culbuter dans la fosse commune... Va donc, homme clbre, grand artiste, mange-toi la cervelle, brle ton sang, pour monter encore, toujours plus haut, toujours plus haut; et, si tu pitines sur place, au sommet, estime-toi heureux, use tes pieds pitiner le plus longtemps possible; et, si tu sens que tu dclines, eh bien! achve de te briser, en roulant dans lagonie de ton talent qui nest plus de lpoque, dans loubli o tu es de tes oeuvres immortelles, perdu de ton effort impuissant crer davantage!). See Zola 1960-1967, vol. 4, p. 181; for the novel Loeuvre : letter 552, n. 11. Van Gogh refers to Bongrand-Jundt because he erroneously assumed that Zola23 modelled the character of Bongrand on the painter Gustave Jundt24 (as he was also mistaken when he thought that Edouard Manet25 was the model for Claude Lantier; see letter 561). His assumption is probably based on the similarity between Jundt and the character in the novel inasmuch as they are both successful but unhappy painters of peasant life. Bongrand owes his success to his painting La noce au village, which hangs in the Muse du Luxembourg. Jundt painted genre works with titles like La fte au village voisin and Pendant la noce. Zolas character is tormented by his inability to equal his masterpiece; gout forced Jundt to stop working and he committed suicide (see also letter 776, n. 18). Brady says that the models for Bongrand were Gustave Flaubert26, Charles-Franois Daubigny27, Gustave Courbet28 and Edouard Manet29. See Patrick Brady, Loeuvre de Emile Zola. Roman sur les arts. Geneva 1967, p. 243. 30 We have not been able to find any reference to hairstyles in Brazil in Carlyle31, but there is a passage about sticks to which fireflies are attached in Sumatra, quoted in On heroes, hero-worship and the heroic in history , a book Van Gogh knew. Since Carlyle links these little creatures with fame and its opposite (for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity), Van Gogh may have been thinking of this. Carlyle describes how the poet Robert Burns suffered as a result of his suddenly acquired fame and wealth inquisitive people made his life impossible and he goes on: Richter says, in the Island of Sumatra there is a kind of Light-chafers, large Fire-flies, which people stick upon spits, and illuminate the ways with at night. Persons of condition can thus travel with a pleasant radiance, which they must admire. Great honour to the Fire flies! But ! (Carlyle 1993, p. 167). 6 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888.

Je conclus. Vivre peu prs en moines ou ermites avec le travail pour passion dominatrice, avec resignation du bien tre. La nature , le beau temps dici , cela cest lavantage du midi. Mais je crois que jamais Gauguin renoncera la bataille Parisienne, il a cela trop au coeur et croit plus que moi un succes durable. Cela ne me fera pas du mal, au contraire je me desespere peut etre trop. Laissons lui donc cette illusion mais sachons que ce quil lui faudra toujours cest le logement et le pain quotidien et la couleur. Cest l le defaut de sa cuirasse et cest parce quil sendette maintenant quil serait foutu davance. Nous autres en lui venant en aide lui rendons la victoire parisienne en effet possible.[2r:8] Si javais les mmes ambitions que lui nous ne nous accorderions probablement pas. Mais je ne tiens ni ma russite ni mon bonheur, je tiens la dure des entreprises energiques des impressionistes, je tiens cette question dasile et de pain quotidien pour eux. Et je men fais un crime den avoir lorsque avec la mme somme deux peuvent vivre. Si on est peintre ou bien vous passez pour un fou ou bien pour un riche. Une tasse de lait vous revient un franc, une tartine deux et les tableaux ne se vendent pas. Voil ce pourquoi il faut se combiner comme faisaient les vieux moines, les frres de la vie commune de nos bruyres Hollandaises.32 Je maperois dj que Gauguin espre la russite il ne saurait se passer de Paris, il na pas la prvoyance de linfini de la gne. Tu conois combien cela mest absolument gal dans ces circonstances de rester ici ou de men aller. Il faut lui laisser faire sa bataille. il la gagnera dailleurs. Trop loin de Paris il se croirait inactif. Mais gardons pour nous labsolue indiffrence pour ce qui est succes ou insucces. Javais commenc signer les toiles mais je me suis vite arrt, cela me semblait trop bte. Sur une marine il y a une tres exorbitante signature rouge parceque je voulais une note rouge dans le vert.33 Enfin

32 The brethren of the common life (Fratres vitae communis or Fratres bonae voluntatis) was one of the three foundations spawned by the Modern Devotion. The brotherhood was formed around 1381 in the town of Deventer at the instigation of Geert Grote and Florens Radewijns. They wanted to live a simple, pious life from the fruits of their labour, including writing and teaching, and from church goods and income. 33 The seascape with the large red signature is Fishing boats at sea (F 415 / JH 1452). The following works from the consignment are also signed: Wheat stacks (F 425 / JH 1442), The harvest (F 412 / JH 1440), Fishing boats at sea (F 417 / JH 1453), Sower with setting sun (F 422 / JH 1470), Fishing boats on the beach at Saintes-Maries (F 413 / JH 1460), Still life with coffeepot (F 410 / JH 1426), Wheatfield with setting sun (F 465 / JH 1473) and Daisies in a bowl (F 591 / JH 1429). To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888. 7 tu les verras bientt. Fin semaine sera un peu raide jespre donc plutt avoir ta lettre un jour plus tot quun jour plus tard. Poigne de main. t. t. Vincent.

Translation [1r:1] My dear Theo, Yesterday I spent the evening with that second lieutenant34, and he plans to leave here on Friday, then hell stay one night in Clermont, and from Clermont hell send you a telegram to tell you by which train hell be arriving. Sunday morning, in all probability. The roll that hell bring you contains 36 studies;35 among them there are many with which Im desperately dissatisfied, and which Im sending you anyway because it will still give you a vague idea of some really fine subjects in the countryside. For example, theres a quick sketch I made of myself laden with boxes, sticks, a canvas, on the sunny Tarascon road;37 theres a view of the Rhne, in which the sky and the water are the colour of absinthe, with a blue bridge and black figures of ruffians;38 theres the sower,39 a washing-place40 and still others, not at all successful and unfinished, especially a large landscape with brushwood.41 [1v:2] Whats happened to the Souvenir de Mauve?42 Having heard no more about it, I was inclined to believe that Tersteeg44 may have said something disagreeable to you, to let you know that it

34 Paul Eugne Milliet (1863-1943) French lieutenant of the Zouaves 35 This second consignment from Arles can be reconstructed to a significant extent. As well as the five works mentioned by Van Gogh (see nn. 2 -6 below), the batch certainly included the following seven paintings, which we know that Theo had from later letters: Joseph Roulin (F 433 / JH 1524), Mousm (F 431 / JH 1519), The harvest (F 412 / JH 1440), Fishing boats at sea (F 417 / JH 1453), Newly mown lawn with a weeping tree (F 428 / JH 1499), Cottages in Saintes-Maries (F 419 / JH 1465) and Rocks with a tree (F 466 / JH 1489). See letters 662, 673, 678 and 680. It can be assumed from the provenance (Jo van Gogh-Bonger36) that the following 22 works, painted between May and August 1888 and for the most part mentioned in the letters, were also part of the consignment: View of Arles with irises in the foreground (F 409 / JH 1416), Farmhouse in a wheatfield (F 408 / JH 1417), Landscape with the edge of a road (F 567 / JH 1419), Field with farmhouses (F 576 / JH 1423), Still life with coffeepot (F 410 / JH 1426), Basket of lemons (F 384 / JH 1425), Daisies in a bowl (F 591 / JH 1429), Fishing boats at sea (F 415 / JH 1452), Fishing boats on the beach at Saintes-Maries (F 413 / JH 1460), Row of cottages in Saintes-Maries (F 420 / JH 1462), Wheatfield with setting sun (F 465 / JH 1473), Zouave (F 423 / JH 1486), Seated Zouave (F 424 / JH 1488), Garden with flowers (F 430 / JH 1510), Garden with flowers (F 429 / JH 1513), Farmhouse (F 565 / JH 1443), Head of a girl (F 535 / JH 1467), Wheatfield (F 411 / JH 1476), Arles seen from the wheatfields (F 545 / JH 1477), Wheatfield with sheaves (F 561 / JH 1480), Wheatfield (F 564 / JH 1475) and Wheatfield with sheaves (F 558 / JH 1481). The following works from the May-August 1888 period, whose provenance cannot be traced back to Jo van Gogh-Bonger with certainty, are candidates for the remaining two studies in the batch: The Langlois bridge with a lady with a parasol (F 570 / JH 1421), Wild flowers in a majolica jug (F 600 / JH 1424), View of Saintes-Maries (F 416 / JH 1447) and Wheat stacks (F 425 / JH 1442). The last of these is signed, and this makes it likely that it was sent to Theo (cf. the remark about signing works at the end of the letter). 37 The painter on the road to Tarascon (F 448 / JH 1491). 38 The Trinquetaille bridge (F 426 / JH 1468). 39 Sower with setting sun (F 422 / JH 1470). 40 Canal with washerwomen (F 427 / JH 1490). 41 Sunset at Montmajour (F - / JH -). See letter 636, n. 3.

42 Pink peach trees (Souvenir de Mauve) (F 394 / JH 1379), dedicated to Mauve43 and given to his widow. See letter 590, n. 5.

44 Hermanus Gijsbertus Tersteeg (H.G.T., T. or Mr T.) (1845-1927) art dealer at the Goupil gallery in The Hague 8 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888.

would be refused, or some other unpleasantness. Naturally, I wouldnt get worked up about it in that case. At the moment Im working on a study like this: boats seen from a quay, from above; the two boats are a purplish pink, the water is very green, no sky, a tricolour flag on the mast. A workman with a wheelbarrow is unloading sand.45 I have a drawing of it too.46 Did you receive the three drawings of the garden?48 Theyll end up by not taking them at the post office any more, because the formats too big. I fear that I wont have a very fine female model. She had promised, then as it appears, she [1v:3] earned a few sous with some riotous living and has better things to do. She was extraordinary; her expression was like that of Delacroix49. And a strange, primitive bearing. I take things with patience, for want of seeing other ways of enduring them, but its annoying, this constant aggravation with models. I hope to do a study of oleanders in the next few days.50 If we painted smoothly like Bouguereau51 people wouldnt be ashamed to let themselves be painted, but I believe its made me lose models, that people found that it was badly done, it was only pictures full of painting that I was doing. So the good whores are afraid of being compromised, and that people will laugh at their portraits. But its enough to make you almost lose heart when you feel that you could do things if people had more good will. I cant resign myself to saying, grapes are sour;52 I cant get over the fact that I dont have more models. Well, we must be patient and look for others. Now our sister54 will come soon to spend some time with you; I have no doubt that shell enjoy [1r:4] herself.55 Its a rather sad prospect to have to say to myself that the painting I do will perhaps never have any value. If it was worth what it costs I could say to myself, Ive never concerned myself about money. But in the present circumstances, on the contrary, one will soak it up. Ah well, and all the same, we must still continue and try to do better. It very often seems wiser to me to go to Gauguin58 instead of recommending to him the life down here; I so much fear that in the end hell complain of having been inconvenienced. Will it be possible to live at home here, will we manage to make ends meet? Because thats a new venture. In Brittany, now, we can calculate what it will cost, and here I have no idea. I continue to find life quite expensive, and you dont get very far with the people. Here there would be beds and some pieces of furniture to buy, and the expenses of his journey and everything he owes. That seems to me to risk more than is proper, when he and Bernard59 spend so little in Brittany. Well, well have to make up our minds soon, and for my part I have no preferences. Its a simple question of [2r:5] deciding where we have the most chance of living cheaply.

45 The letter sketch Quay with sand barges (F - / JH 1557) is after the painting Quay with sand barges (F 449 / JH 1558). 46 The drawing is Quay with sand barges (F 1462 / JH 1556). Van Gogh added the drawing from the consignment that Milliet47 took to Theo; see letter 662. 48 Garden with flowers (F 1456 / JH 1537), Garden of a bathhouse (F 1457 / JH 1539) and Garden with flowers (F 1455 / JH 1512). See letter 657. 49 Ferdinand Victor Eugne Delacroix (1798-1863) French artist 50 Van Gogh made two paintings of oleanders: Oleander branches in a majolica jug (F 593 / JH 1566) and Oleander branches in a majolica jug (F 594 / JH 1567). 51 Adolphe William Bouguereau (1825-1905) French artist 52 The saying grapes are sour is taken from Jean de La Fontaine53, Le renard et les raisins , Fables , iii, 11. See Fontaine 1974, vol. 1, p. 122. 54 Willemina (Wil or Willemien) Jacoba van Gogh (1862-1941) sister of Vincent 55 Willemien56 stayed with Theo for a couple of weeks; she went to Paris on 15 August (FR b2421) and stayed until early September (letter 672). Originally Elisabeth57 was to have gone with her; cf. letter 615, n. 7.

58 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 59 Emile Bernard (1868-1941) French artist and writer To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888. 9

I must write to Gauguin60 today to ask him what he pays models, and to find out if there are any. There you are, if youre getting old, its important to rule out what is an illusion and to calculate before jumping into things. And if when youre younger youre able to believe that you can meet your needs through diligent work, it becomes more and more doubtful now. I also told Gauguin that in my last letter. That if we painted like Bouguereau61, that we could then hope to earn but that the public will never change and only likes soft and smooth things. With a more austere talent, you cant depend on the product of your labours; most of the people intelligent enough to understand and love Impressionist paintings are and will remain too poor to buy. Will Gauguin or I work less for that no but well be obliged to accept poverty and social isolation as a prior condition. And to start with, lets set ourselves up where living costs the least. So much the better if success comes, so much the better if one day we found ourselves better off. [2v:6] What touches me most deeply in Zola62s Loeuvre is that character Bongrand-Jundt. Its so true what he says: You believe, unfortunate souls, that when the artist has mastered his talent and gained his reputation, that then hes home and dry? On the contrary, from that moment on he isnt allowed to produce a thing that isnt good in every way. His very reputation obliges him to take all the more care over his work as chances of sales diminish. At the least sign of weakness the whole jealous pack falls on him and destroys precisely that reputation and that faith that a fickle and treacherous public briefly had in him.63 Stronger than that is what Carlyle71 says. You know the fireflies in Brazil that are so luminous that in the evening ladies stick them into their hair with pins. Its very fine, fame, but see, it is to the artist what the hairpin is to those insects. You wish to succeed and shine; do you really know what you want?72

60 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 61 Adolphe William Bouguereau (1825-1905) French artist 62 Emile Zola (1840-1902) French writer 63 Cf. the following passage from chapter 7: Oh, the funk! You young people, you think you know it, but you cant even imagine it, because, dear God, you folk, if you make a bad job of a work, youre at liberty to do your utmost to make a better one; nobody will slate you, whereas we, the old men, who have shown our stature, who are obliged to measure up to ourselves, if not to make progress; we cannot slacken without tumbling into a common grave. Go then, famous man, great artist, cudgel your brains, get your blood up, to rise still further, ever higher, ever higher; and, if, at the summit, you find yourself treading on the spot, count yourself fortunate, use your feet to tread for as long as possible, and if you feel youre going downhill, well then, stop breaking yourself, wallowing in the death-throes of your talent, which is outmoded, in the neglect of your immortal works in which you find yourself, overwhelmed by your impotent efforts to create more! (Ah! le trac, jeunes gens, vous croyez le connatre, et vous ne vous en doutez mme pas, parce que, mon Dieu! vous autres, si vous ratez un oeuvre, vous en tes quittes pour vous efforcer den faire une meilleure, personne ne vous accable; tandis que nous, les vieux, nous qui avons donn notre mesure, qui sommes forcs dtre gaux nous-mmes, sinon de progresser, nous ne pouvons faiblir, sans culbuter dans la fosse commune... Va donc, homme clbre, grand artiste, mange-toi la cervelle, brle ton sang, pour monter encore, toujours plus haut, toujours plus haut; et, si tu pitines sur place, au sommet, estime-toi heureux, use tes pieds pitiner le plus longtemps possible; et, si tu sens que tu dclines, eh bien! achve de te briser, en roulant dans lagonie de ton talent qui nest plus de lpoque, dans loubli o tu es de tes oeuvres immortelles, perdu de ton effort impuissant crer davantage!). See Zola 1960-1967, vol. 4, p. 181; for the novel Loeuvre : letter 552, n. 11. Van Gogh refers to Bongrand-Jundt because he erroneously assumed that Zola64 modelled the character of Bongrand on the painter Gustave Jundt65 (as he was also mistaken when he thought that Edouard Manet66 was the model for Claude Lantier; see letter 561). His assumption is probably based on the similarity between Jundt and the character in the novel inasmuch as they are both successful but unhappy painters of peasant life. Bongrand owes his success to his painting La noce au village, which hangs in the Muse du Luxembourg. Jundt painted genre works with titles like La fte au village voisin and Pendant la noce. Zolas character is tormented by his inability to equal his masterpiece; gout forced Jundt to stop working and he committed suicide (see also letter 776, n. 18). Brady says that the models for Bongrand were Gustave Flaubert67, Charles-Franois Daubigny68, Gustave Courbet69 and Edouard Manet70. See Patrick Brady, Loeuvre de Emile Zola. Roman sur les arts. Geneva 1967, p. 243. 71 Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) English writer and philosopher 72 We have not been able to find any reference to hairstyles in Brazil in Carlyle73, but there is a passage about sticks to which fireflies are attached in Sumatra, quoted in On heroes, hero-worship and the heroic in history , a book Van Gogh knew. Since Carlyle links these little creatures with fame and its opposite (for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity), Van Gogh may have been thinking of this. Carlyle describes how the poet Robert Burns suffered as a result of his suddenly acquired fame and wealth inquisitive people made his life impossible and he goes on: Richter says, in the Island of Sumatra there is a kind of Light-chafers, large Fire-flies, which people stick upon spits, and illuminate the ways with at night. Persons of condition can thus travel with a pleasant radiance, which they must admire. Great honour to the Fire flies! But ! (Carlyle 1993, p. 10 To Theo van Gogh. Arles, on or about Monday, 13 August 1888.

Now I have a horror of success; Im afraid of the morning after following a success by the Impressionists; even the present difficult days will later seem like the good times to us. Well, Gauguin74 and I must look ahead, we must work at getting a roof over our heads, beds; [2v:7] the essentials, in short, to endure the siege by failure that will last the whole of our life. And we must settle down in the least expensive place. Then well have the peace of mind needed to produce a large amount, even if we sell little or nothing. But if expenses exceeded income, wed be wrong to hope too much that everything would work out through the sale of our paintings. On the contrary, wed be obliged to part with them at any price at the wrong time. I conclude. Living more or less like monks or hermits, with work as our ruling passion, giving up well-being. Nature, the fine weather down here, thats the advantage of the south. But I believe that Gauguin75 will never give up the battle of Paris; he has that too much at heart, and believes in a lasting success more than I do. That wont do me any harm; on the contrary, perhaps I despair too much. So lets leave him this illusion, but lets be aware that what hell always need is lodgings, and his daily bread, and paint. Thats where the chink in his armour is, and its because hes getting into debt now that hell be done for beforehand. By coming to his aid, the two of us make his victory in Paris possible, in fact.[2r:8] If I had the same ambitions as he has, we probably wouldnt get on well together. But I dont care about my success nor about my happiness, I care about the continuation of the energetic undertakings of the Impressionists, I care about this question of a refuge and of daily bread for them. And I feel it a crime that I have that, while two can live on the same amount. If youre a painter, youre taken either for a madman or for a rich man. A cup of milk costs you one franc, a slice of bread and butter two, and paintings dont sell. Thats why we have to join together as the old monks did, the Brethren of the Common Life of our Dutch heathlands.76 I realize already that Gauguin77 hopes for success he couldnt do without Paris, he doesnt foresee the infinity of poverty. You understand how far in these circumstances its absolutely one and the same to me to stay here or to leave. We have to allow him to fight his battle. Hell win it, whats more. Too far from Paris, he would think himself idle. But for ourselves lets keep a total indifference regarding success or failure. Id begun to sign my canvases, but I soon stopped; it seemed too silly to me. On a seascape theres a very outrageous red signature, because I wanted a red note in the green.78 Youll see them soon, anyway. Weekend will be a bit tough, so I hope to have your letter a day early rather than a day late. Handshake. Ever yours, Vincent

167). 74 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 75 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 76 The brethren of the common life (Fratres vitae communis or Fratres bonae voluntatis) was one of the three foundations spawned by the Modern Devotion. The brotherhood was formed around 1381 in the town of Deventer at the instigation of Geert Grote and Florens Radewijns. They wanted to live a simple, pious life from the fruits of their labour, including writing and teaching, and from church goods and income. 77 Paul (Eugne Henri) Gauguin (1848-1903) French artist 78 The seascape with the large red signature is Fishing boats at sea (F 415 / JH 1452). The following works from the consignment are also signed: Wheat stacks (F 425 / JH 1442), The harvest (F 412 / JH 1440), Fishing boats at sea (F 417 / JH 1453), Sower with setting sun (F 422 / JH 1470), Fishing boats on the beach at Saintes-Maries (F 413 / JH 1460), Still life with coffeepot (F 410 / JH 1426), Wheatfield with setting sun (F 465 / JH 1473) and Daisies in a bowl (F 591 / JH 1429).