Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Sunday, 15 June 1890.

Sunday, 15 June 1890

Metadata Source status: Original manuscript

Location: Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b764 V/1962

Date: Letter headed: Paris le 15 Juillet 1890. Theo must have been mistaken about the month, since he responds here to Vincents news about the furniture and the order for paint in letter 887 of 14 June. The letter could not have been written on 15 July, because the furniture had arrived by then (Van Gogh confirms receipt of the furniture in letter 898 of about 10 July), besides which, other topics were occupying them at that time.

Additional: Theo enclosed letter 884 from Gauguin.

Original [1r:1] Paris le 15 Juillet 18901 Mon cher Vincent, Je suis bien content que les nouvelles que tu nous donnes restent bonnes & que le courage pour le travail est loin de tabandonner. Tasset doit tenvoyer aujourdhui les couleurs que tu demandes.2 Tanguy me disait lautre jour que les tubes de Tasset taient bien plus courts & contenaient donc moins de couleurs que les siens. Si cela tait le cas dis le moi, car je pourrai faire usage de cei pour avoir une reduction [1v:2] sur le prix. Il sera bien plus tranquille pour toi quand tes meubles seront arrivs

1 Theo is mistaken; it must be 15 June 1890 (see Date). 2 Van Gogh had placed this order for paint in letter 887.

1 2 Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Sunday, 15 June 1890.

aussi pour que tu puisses peut-tre trouver un camarade rester3 avec toi. Il y a un Hollandais qui viendra te voir,4 il tait recommand par de Bock6 qui lui avait recommand Fontainebleau,8 mais il le trouve pas son gout. Je ne sais pas sil a du talent, il navait rien montrer. Lauzet est venu hier matin voir tes tableaux, il est trs occup avec ses Monticelli qui vont paratre dans une dizaine de jours.10 Il11 aime beaucoup le portrait de femme que tu as fait Arles.14 Pour son projet de la Martinique17 cest peut tre bien ce quil lui faut, mais si cela doit dpendre dun payement un inventeur18 cela nest pas encore[1v:3] bien sr. Sous ce pli tu trouveras une lettre de lui quil me prie de tenvoyer. 21 Son sjour chez Schoefenecker23 ne lui fait pas de bien, il ny travaille presque pas tandis que la Bretagne linspire. Il est donc bon quil parte. Je te dis bonjour de Jo, il faut que je finisse la hate sans quoi la lettre ne partira pas aujourdhui. Elle est un peu indispose mais jespre que cela ne sera pas grave. Bonne poigne de mains. Theo

Translation [1r:1] Paris 15 July 189026 My dear Vincent,

3 Read: sjourner. 4 This Dutchman was Anton Hirschig5; cf. letter 902, l. 54. 6 This refers to Thophile de Bock7. 8 For Lauzet9s publication Adolphe Monticelli , see letter 825, n. 7.

10 The painters of the Barbizon School, among others, had worked in the artists village of Fontainebleau. 11 Strictly speaking, Theo could be referring here to either Lauzet12 or Gauguin13, to whom the rest of the paragraph refers. Vincent assumed that Theo was talking about Lauzet (cf. RM23, ll. 57-59). We think it most likely that Il refers to Gauguin. 14 If did in Arles (l. 27) is to be taken literally, Theo is referring to Marie Ginoux (The Arlsienne) (F 489 / JH 1625). However, during this period the correspondence constantly refers to the second series of Arlsienne15s that Van Gogh painted in Saint-Rmy. Assuming that Theo meant Gauguin16 when he wrote Il (see n. 7), this must refer to the portrait Gauguin received: Marie Ginoux (The Arlsienne) (F 542 / JH 1894). Cf. also letter 884, n. 2.

17 Theo means Madagascar; see n. 11 below. 18 This inventor was a certain Charlopin19. The payment mentioned by Theo, on which Gauguin20s project supposedly depended, was the money that Charlopin was meant to receive for an invention he had sold. Gauguin wanted to sell him 38 paintings and 5 ceramic pieces for 5,000 francs, hoping in this way to fund his voyage to the tropics. This emerges from a lost letter from Gauguin to Theo of 30 or 31 May 1890 (quoted in part in Gauguin lettres 1983, p. 183, n. 3). Gauguins plan came to nothing. 21 This was Gauguin22s letter 884, in which he wrote about his impending departure for Brittany and his plans to go to Madagascar. 23 When he returned to Paris at the beginning of February 1890, Gauguin24 moved in with Emile Schuffenecker25, 12 rue Durand-Claye. See exhib. cat. Washington 1988, p. 48. 26 Theo is mistaken; it must be 15 June 1890 (see Date). Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Sunday, 15 June 1890. 3

Im really pleased that the news you give us remains good, and that the courage for work is far from abandoning you. Tasset27 is to send you the colours you ask for today.28 Tanguy29 was telling me the other day that the tubes from Tasset were much shorter and therefore contained less paint than his. If that was the case tell me, for I can make use of that to have a reduction in the price. It will be much [1v:2] calmer for you when your furniture has arrived too, so that you may perhaps be able to find a colleague to stay with you. Theres a Dutchman30 wholl come and see you,31 he was recommended by De Bock33 34 who had recommended Fontainebleau36 to him, but he doesnt find it to his taste. I dont know if he has any talent, he had nothing to show. Lauzet38 came yesterday morning to see your paintings, hes very busy with his Monticelli39s, which are going to be published in ten days time.40 He41 very much likes the portrait of a woman44 you did in Arles.45 Its perhaps just what he needs for his Martinique project,48 but if its to depend on a payment to an inventor49 it isnt yet really certain. Enclosed with this letter youll find a letter from him which he asked me to send [1v:3] you.52 His stay with Schuffenecker54 55 isnt doing him any good, hes hardly working at all there, whereas Brittany inspires him. So its good that hes leaving. I give you Jo58s regards, I must finish in haste, otherwise the letter wont go off today. Shes a little indisposed, but I hope that it wont be anything serious. Good handshake. Theo

27 Guillaume Charles Tasset (1843-1925) seller of artists’ materials in Paris 28 Van Gogh had placed this order for paint in letter 887. 29 Julien Franois Tanguy (pre Tanguy) (1825-1894) seller of artists’ materials in Paris 30 Anthonius (Anton, Tony) Matthias Hirschig (1867-1939) Dutch artist 31 This Dutchman was Anton Hirschig32; cf. letter 902, l. 54. 33 Thophile Emile Achille de Bock (1851-1904) Dutch artist 34 This refers to Thophile de Bock35. 36 For Lauzet37s publication Adolphe Monticelli , see letter 825, n. 7.

38 Auguste Marie Lauzet (1865-1898) French artist 39 Adolphe Joseph Thomas Monticelli (1824-1886) French artist 40 The painters of the Barbizon School, among others, had worked in the artists village of Fontainebleau. 41 Strictly speaking, Theo could be referring here to either Lauzet42 or Gauguin43, to whom the rest of the paragraph refers. Vincent assumed that Theo was talking about Lauzet (cf. RM23, ll. 57-59). We think it most likely that Il refers to Gauguin. 44 Marie Ginoux-Julien (1848-1911) manageress of Caf de la Gare in Arles, wife of Joseph Ginoux 45 If did in Arles (l. 27) is to be taken literally, Theo is referring to Marie Ginoux (The Arlsienne) (F 489 / JH 1625). However, during this period the correspondence constantly refers to the second series of Arlsienne46s that Van Gogh painted in Saint-Rmy. Assuming that Theo meant Gauguin47 when he wrote Il (see n. 7), this must refer to the portrait Gauguin received: Marie Ginoux (The Arlsienne) (F 542 / JH 1894). Cf. also letter 884, n. 2.

48 Theo means Madagascar; see n. 11 below. 49 This inventor was a certain Charlopin50. The payment mentioned by Theo, on which Gauguin51s project supposedly depended, was the money that Charlopin was meant to receive for an invention he had sold. Gauguin wanted to sell him 38 paintings and 5 ceramic pieces for 5,000 francs, hoping in this way to fund his voyage to the tropics. This emerges from a lost letter from Gauguin to Theo of 30 or 31 May 1890 (quoted in part in Gauguin lettres 1983, p. 183, n. 3). Gauguins plan came to nothing. 52 This was Gauguin53s letter 884, in which he wrote about his impending departure for Brittany and his plans to go to Madagascar. 54 Claude Emile Schuffenecker (1851-1934) French artist 55 When he returned to Paris at the beginning of February 1890, Gauguin56 moved in with Emile Schuffenecker57, 12 rue Durand-Claye. See exhib. cat. Washington 1988, p. 48. 58 Johanna (Jo or Net) Gezina van Gogh-Bonger (1862-1925) wife of Theo van Gogh