1. It is impossible to say who these ‘guests’ might have been. The family correspondence has nothing to say on the matter. It may be, however, that this had nothing to do with guests but everything to do with Margot’s return home – on 11 November 1884 Mrs van Gogh wrote to Theo: ‘Margot’s homecoming approaches; what will it be like then’ (FR b2262). Van Gogh consequently expected ‘a fuss’ and wanted to leave his hands free.

2. Van Gogh wrote about these finished studies for Hermans in letters 454 and 459.