1. Vincent sent six drawings, going by what he wrote to Theo later that day (letter 642) and what Bernard wrote to his parents in July. He told them he had received a packet containing ‘six truly remarkable pen drawings. There’s a head of a Zouave that amazes me. Vincent’s becoming very good. At the same time that he’s an excellent artist, he’s a thinker, because every one of his works contains an idea that flashes on the eye of the man who looks for it. And his literature keeps me excited, too, it’s so vivid’ (six dessins à la plume vraiment remarquables. Il y a une tête de zouave qui m’a étonné. Vincent devient très fort. En même temps que c’est un excellent artiste, c’est un penseur car chacune de ses oeuvres contient une idée qui éclate à l’oeil de celui qui la cherche. De plus sa littérature me tient en émoi tant elle est vibrante). He then quoted ll. 27-48 from Vincent’s letter, with asides like ‘ah! Just like him! I understand him’ (ah! comme c’est lui, je l’entends). He ended with the words: ‘This passage of the letter is absolutely remarkable, it would make Hugo go wild with excitement.’ (Ce passage de la lettre est absolument remarquable, il ferait délirer Hugo). See Harscoët-Maire 1997, pp. 177-178.
It is not entirely certain which six sketches made up the batch. We know from Bernard’s letter that there was a head of a Zouave: Zouave (F 1482 / JH 1487 [2656]), with the dedication ‘A mon cher copain Bernard; Vincent’. Later in the present letter Van Gogh says that there was one of a garden, which must have been Newly mown lawn with a weeping tree (F 1450 / JH 1509 [2667]). This is confirmed in letter 696.
A few days later Van Gogh sent Bernard nine more sketches. For the identification of the drawings in both batches, see letter 643, n. 1.
[2656] [2667]
2. This is derived from the first two verses of the 30th rondeau, ‘Les fourriers d’Esté sont venus’ van Charles d’Orléans:

The harbingers of Summer have arrived
To dress his dwelling-place,
And have had his carpets spread,
Of flowers and verdure wove.
Spreading shaggy carpets out
Of green grass o’er the land,
The harbingers [of Summer have arrived.]

Hearts weary and dejected once
Thanks be to God, are healthy now and blithe,
Away with you, be gone,
Winter, you’ll stay no more;
The harbingers [of Summer have arrived!]

(Les fourriers d’Esté sont venusPour appareiller son logis,Et ont fait tendre ses tappis,De fleurs et verdure tissus.En estendant tappis velus,De vert herbe par le païs,Les fourriers [d’Esté sont venus.]Cueurs d’ennuy pieça morfondus,Dieu mercy, sont sains et jolis;Alez vous ent, prenez païs,Yver, vous ne demourrés plus;Les fourriers [d’Esté sont venus!])

See D’Orléans 1923-1927, vol. 2, p. 307.
3. Since Bernard often mentions Crivelli in his correspondence, it is likely that Van Gogh is responding here to something Bernard had written. Bernard may also have cited the preceding quotation. Carlo Crivelli mainly painted biblical scenes, often with detailed flower still lifes in the foreground. However, this might also be a reference to Vittore Crivelli, a maker of religious paintings and very probably Carlo’s brother. Cf. Anna Bovero, Tutta la pittura del Crivelli. Milano 1961, and Sandra di Provvido, La pittura di Vittore Crivelli. L’Aquila 1972.
4. La Crau seen from Montmajour (F 1420 / JH 1501 [2147]) and Landscape near Montmajour with a train (F 1424 / JH 1502 [2148]). The drawings measure roughly 48.5 x 60.5 cm.
[2147] [2148]
5. This was probably Mourier-Petersen; Vincent tells Theo the same story in letter 639.
6. He is referring to the Zouave lieutenant Paul Eugène Milliet; see letter 639, n. 10. He had spent a day with him on Montmajour shortly before.
7. These must be the paintings that Milliet was to take to Paris in mid-August; see letter 660.
8. Probably Louis Anquetin, Old peasant (Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum). Ill. 2192 [2192].
[2192]
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