1. The young wrestlers, 1888 (W298/W273) (private collection). Ill. 105 . A letter from Gauguin to Schuffenecker of 8 July 1888 also contains a sketch and description of this painting. See Correspondance Gauguin 1984, pp. 197-198.

2. Gauguin had got to know Achille Granchi-Taylor in Paris in 1885. Both artists were in Pont-Aven in 1886 and 1888. Granchi-Taylor had worked at Cormon’s studio; this is probably how he knew Russell. See Correspondance Gauguin 1984, p. 490 and Gauguin lettres 1983, p. 217 (n. 1).

3. See letter 623, n. 16, for Russell’s move to Belle-Île.

4. Van Gogh must have written to Gauguin about the art dealer Georges Thomas; see letter 617, n. 8, and letter 640, n. 16. Louis Nicolas André Thomas, Duke of Bojano, was the managing director of the Compagnie du Soleil insurance company and a collector. His collection of 118 works was sold at auction in 1882. By the dealer near Place Vendôme, Gauguin probably meant the paint supplier and art dealer Jean Joseph Thomas, who had a shop at 235 rue Saint-Honoré until 1887. See Correspondance Gauguin 1984, p. 482 and exhib. cat. Paris 1988, p. 347 (n. 124).

5. See letter 623, n. 3, for Gauguin and Laval’s stay on Martinique. The watercolours Laval brought back with him from Martinique are not known.