2. In accordance with what had been discussed during his visit, Theo must have asked Uncle Cor to help support Vincent. Given the course of events in the following months, it seems that Uncle Cor took more than 20 drawings on consignment and was to send Theo an advance on them; see letters 380 and 384, l. 50. Uncle Cor also had ‘with the right to swap them later’, as letter 388 shows. It is not known which studies Van Gogh sent.

In connection with the remark about ‘the woman’: in letter 376 Vincent had written to Theo, ‘If perhaps you said something to C.M. about me possibly leaving the woman, then please take it back immediately’.

3. No such letter is known.

4. In the spring of 1882 Van Gogh had twice made a series of drawings for his Uncle Cor for payment (see letter 210 ff.).

5. Van Rappard had also spent time in Drenthe in the summer of 1882; see letter 256.

6. Terschelling is a small island in the North Sea to the north of the Netherlands. Van Rappard visited the island three times: in August-September 1883 (when he stayed in West-Terschelling; see letter 388, n. 3), July-September 1884 and in August-September 1885.

7. For the transport company Van Gend & Loos, see letter 135, n. 19. The branch in The Hague was at that time located close to Rijnspoor station.

8. By ‘having paid’ Van Gogh means: as soon as I shall have paid, namely after receiving the advance from Uncle Cor. Letter 384 shows that Van Gogh received the money and did indeed act as proposed here.

9. No map that exactly matches Van Gogh’s description has been traced; Erica has existed since 1863, so the map must date from between 1863 and 1883. Presumably it was a map of the province of Drenthe similar to that of J. Kuijper, published by H. Suringar of Leeuwarden in 1882. This measures 18 x 26.5 cm (Assen, Drents Archief). Ill. 2115

. By ‘Oosterheuvelen’ Van Gogh must mean the village of ‘Oosterhesselen’.

It is also possible that it was the sixth edition (1883) of the map of Drenthe by J.J. Jaeger, published by W.J.F. Tjeenk Willink of Zwolle. Only the fifth edition of 1875 is known. See Dijk and Van der Sluis 2001, pp. 72-74. For Zwartemeer (the black lake), see letter 385, n. 5.

a. ‘uithalen’: ‘besparen’.

10. Van Gogh’s estimate was a little too high. The cost of a single ticket to Assen via Deventer was 6.20 guilders for an adult. Children below the age of four – and thus Sien’s youngest son – travelled free, while in the case of the six-year-old daughter the reduction of 50% for children aged between six and ten applied (Information from the Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum, Utrecht).

11. By ‘doing something else as well’ Van Gogh means spending time on activities other than drawing and painting for the sake of the money. He set out his views on this in letter 376.