1. The Veluwe is a wooded area in the middle of the Netherlands.

2. Since it was already dark when Van Gogh arrived he must have travelled on the last train, which arrived in Hoogeveen at 21.00. Working backwards according to the Reiswijzer (Timetable) for September 1883, he left The Hague by the 14.05 train at the latest. See Dijk and Van der Sluis 2001, p. 81.

3. Antoine Philippe Furnée, to whom Van Gogh had given lessons.

4. Albertus Hartsuiker was a lodging-keeper and railway official. The exact address of his lodging-house is not known, but the most likely candidate is the house at Grote Kerksteeg 51 (district A) – later Grote Kerkstraat 51 – where there was a shop, a baker’s and a house with lodgings. It has, however, also been suggested that it was Toldijk 446 (district B) (now Pesserstraat 24). See GAHo, Civil registration; Dijk and Van der Sluis 2001, pp. 83-103.

5. The Zwarte Meer is close to the German (‘Prussian’) border, about 40 km to the east of Hoogeveen.