1. Gauguin was to arrive in Arles on Tuesday, 23 October 1888; see letter 712, n. 2. This must be a reference to a new letter from Gauguin, and not the one Van Gogh said that he had received in letter 704, otherwise he would undoubtedly have told Theo then that Gauguin wanted to come on 20 October.

2. Gauguin was still in poor health; see letter 701, n. 1.

3. Van Gogh had made the journey from Paris to Arles on Sunday, 19 and Monday, 20 February 1888 (letter 577).

4. This must have been Van Gogh’s reply to the letter from Gauguin referred to in letter 704. He also wrote about his tired eyes to Theo (see letter 704).

5. The letter sketch The bedroom (F - / JH 1610) is after the painting The bedroom (F 482 / JH 1608 ).