1. In 1880 in Paris Theo was on friendly terms with Théophile de Bock. On 5 July 1880 Theo’s mother wrote to him: ‘Nice that until October you have a good friend in Mr de Bock and then Rappart’ (FR b2495).

2. This may be De Bock’s canvas Winter (present whereabouts unknown; auctioned on 10 March 1907 by Frederik Muller & Cie; 70 x 100 cm) or a related work. Ill. 2111 . Cf. Arnold Lighthart, ‘Vincent van Gogh & Théophile de Bock’, Jong Holland 6 (1990), no. 6, pp. 18-34, esp. 27-28.

3. A sketch after De Bock’s Un bac en Hollande (A ferryboat in Holland) (present whereabouts unknown), referred to later in the letter as ‘his large’ painting (it measures 140 x 210 cm) is illustrated in F.-G. Dumas, Catalogue illustré du Salon 1883. Paris 1883, p. 130, cat. no. 274. Ill. 2112 .

a. Probably means: ‘Lichter van kleur’ (lighter in colour).

4. This was in February (see letters 312 and 325).

5. This may be Potato field in the dunes (F 1037 / JH 390 ). Later in the letter Van Gogh specifies the location: by the lighthouse (l. 128).

6. This drawing of a chestnut tree is not known.

7. This drawing with coal heaps is not known.

8. Vincent wrote about thinking of moving to ‘the seashore’ in letter 358.

9. Bernardus Blommers formerly lived and worked at Spui 58. From July to November 1882 he stayed at Kanaalweg 31, before he and his family moved into the newly built ‘Villa Johanna’ at Van Stolkweg 17 in Scheveningen. It is impossible to say for sure which of the two buildings Van Gogh meant by ‘the house where Blommers used to live’. Cf. exhib. cat. The Hague 1990, p. 59.

10. Van Gogh had mentioned Marken before; in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine he read ‘a description of the island of Marken — it makes me want to go there’; see letter 358. Hoek van Holland lies c. 15 km south of The Hague.

11. De Bock had a studio at Van Stolkweg 20, now 22: see letter 212, n. 11.

12. These drawings of a barge puller and a peat carrier are not known.

13. Potato grubbers (F 1034 / JH 372 ).

14. It is possible that Van Gogh wrote ‘kan’ (can) instead of ‘kon’ (could).

15. De Bock, who was well off, built up a substantial collection of antiques. See Collection Théophile de Bock 1905.

16. The alterations to the studio had been made in February 1883 (letter 318).

17. For Daudet’s Nabab, see letter 292, n. 1.

18. Later it appears that Van Gogh has read the book Germinie Lacerteux. See letter 574, n. 5.

19. The Scheveningen lighthouse which came into service in 1875 and was located in the undulating dunes – it is depicted in Van Gogh’s drawing Fish-drying barn (F 938 / JH 152 ). See exhib. cat. The Hague 1990, pp. 60-61.

20. For Félix Régamey, The diamond diggers, South Africa , see letter 359, n. 36.

21. Van Gogh had several examples of wood engravings with Japanese subjects by Félix Régamey; see letter 325, n. 19.