1. It is not known what was wrong with Mr van Gogh. He felt better on 8 February, his 59th birthday (FR b2235).

2. From the way Van Gogh said this, it seems he had already mentioned this painter in the correspondence with his parents. Mr van Gogh wrote to Theo about Vincent’s lessons: ‘he wanted to take lessons in perspective from a poor painter for 1 franc 50 per 2-hour lesson. It seems to me he should do that, and I shall write him a letter and tell him so’ (FR b2235, 14 February 1881). Jo van Gogh-Bonger suggested that this painter was Adriaan Johannes Madiol, who is mentioned in letter 164. See Brieven 1914, p. xxxiv. It could not have been the other two painters with whom Van Gogh was in touch, Anthon van Rappard and Willem Roelofs, because they were both men of means.

3. This drawing is not known.

a. Read: ‘was ermee voorzien’, ‘kon het ermee doen’ (was provided for, could get by with).

4. Mr van Gogh had heard from Theo that he wanted to help out financially, and thanked him for it: ‘It is really very kind of you to want to pay part of Vincent’s expenses’. He then worked out for Theo that he had sent 95 guilders so far: ‘At the beginning of January [I sent] 40 to him, 22 January 20 guilders, 7 February 35 ... So he’s still got enough to be getting on with, but will be needing more at the beginning of March. Would it be convenient for you to take care of it then or should I do it? Tell me frankly’ (FR b2235, 14 February 1881).

5. At this time the ‘employee and shoe shop owner’ Pierre Gustave Moons, who married Thérèse Kirkels on 10 September 1881, was living at boulevard du Midi 72. It is not known whether this Moons was also the landlord (SAB).

6. A fabric of linen and cotton, used especially in making work clothes.

7. A short, tight-fitting jacket (‘doublet’) without tails, with one or two rows of buttons, and made of thick, coarse woollen fabric (‘baize’).

8. A region in the north of Belgium.

9. The coastal town of Blankenberge in the north-west of Belgium.

10. These drawings are not known. There is a sketch of the same subject in letter 156, but it dates from August 1880.

11. Van Gogh means that, as a draughtsman, he may one day make designs to be used in woodcuts.

12. It emerges from letter 164 that this was a coarse black velvet (veloutine).

13. Anna turned 26 on 17 February.