1. See letter 323 of the day before. The drawing sent would have been Soup distribution in a public soup kitchen (F 1020 a/ JH 330 ).

2. This watercolour, after which the letter sketch was done, is Soup distribution in a public soup kitchen (F 1020 b/ JH 331 ).

3. This unknown scratch was sent with letter 319.

4. The drawing measures 56.5 x 44.4 cm, and this is indeed exceptional for Van Gogh.

5. Van Gogh is not quoting literally; in particular the last sentence is different. George Eliot writes: ‘I don’t say more bearable to me – I’m not fond of those refinements; but you are’. Van Gogh paraphrases Eliot’s ‘but you are’. See Eliot 1980, chapter 51, p. 396.

6. Wilhelmus Johannes Leurs. In 1881-1882 he was a frame-maker and seller of artists’ materials, Hofsingel 1; idem in 1883-1884, but at Practizijnshoek 1; and in 1884-1885 tradesman in artists’ materials and frame-maker, Molenstraat 5 (GAH, Adresboeken 1881-1885).

a. Means: ‘afstaan’ (let me have).