1. In his previous letter (823), Van Gogh had asked for 10 metres of canvas.
2. This study of olive trees is not known; in letter 806 Van Gogh wrote that it was a smaller version of one of his canvases of olive trees.
3. The bedroom (F 483 / JH 1793 [2845]). The canvas came into Willemien’s possession (FR b4162). See also Account book 2002, p. 20 (n. 33) and Heijbroek and Wouthuysen 1993, p. 196.
[2845]
4. Reaper (F 619 / JH 1792 [2844]). It is not known if the canvas came into the possession of Mrs van Gogh and Willemien; Jo sold it to Cassirer in 1902. See Account book 2002, p. 181.
[2844]
5. Field with a ploughman (F 625 / JH 1768 [2825]). This painting belonged to Willemien van Gogh. See Account book 2002, p. 181.
[2825]
6. Wheatfield and cypresses (F 743 / JH 1790 [2842]). It is not known if the canvas came into the possession of Mrs van Gogh and Willemien.
[2842]
7. It is unclear which painting this refers to. Orchard in blossom at the foot of the Alpilles (F 723 / JH 1722 [2795]), the only work with blossoming orchards from Saint-Rémy, dates from January-February 1890. It is unlikely that Van Gogh is referring to an olive grove, as Pickvance assumed in exh. cat. New York 1986 (p. 301), since in that case Van Gogh would have written ‘verger d’oliviers’. He could not be referring to the studies of blossoming orchards made in Arles in 1888, because he had already sent them to Theo (see letter 606). He had also sent the paintings of blossoming orchards made in Arles in 1889 (see letters 789 and 805).
[2795]
8. Self-portrait with clean-shaven face (F 525 / JH 1665 [2769]). It is not known if the canvas ever came into the possession of Mrs van Gogh and Willemien; Jo sold it to Cassirer in 1910. See Account book 2002, p. 177.
[2769]
9. It cannot be said with certainty which autumn studies were in this consignment, apart from the ones mentioned by Van Gogh later on in the letter. The possibilities include Field with a ploughman (F 706 / JH 1794), Poplars in the mountains (F 638 / JH 1797 [2848]), Trees in the garden of the asylum (F 640 / JH 1800 [2851]), Trees in the garden of the asylum (F 731 / JH 1801), Entrance to a quarry (F 635 / JH 1767 [2824]), View of the church near the asylum (F 803 / JH 2124), The garden of the asylum (‘Leaf-fall’) (F 651 / JH 1844 [2864]) and Pine trees in the garden of the asylum (F 643 / JH 1799 [2850]).
[2848] [2851] [904] [2824] [905] [2864] [2850]
10. Mulberry tree (F 637 / JH 1796 [2847]).
[2847]
11. These two variants are probably The garden of the asylum (F 660 / JH 1849 [2865]) and The garden of the asylum (F 659 / JH 1850 [2866]). See Hendriks and Van Tilborgh 2001, p. 155. In letters 834 and 891, Van Gogh uses the word ‘variantes’ for two works with the same composition, so that must also be the case here. Van Gogh’s wording seems to suggest that both variants were in the consignment, but it is unlikely that the second version (F 659), which was made some time in November (see letter 822), was already dry enough to send.
[2865] [2866]
12. This remark could imply that the consignment did not contain any no. 30 canvases. Later on, however, it appears that Van Gogh’s mention of ‘studies on no. 30 canvases’, refers rather to a new series of no. 30 canvases, on which he was still working. In a letter written several days later to Willemien, Vincent also speaks of 12 large canvases (see letter 827, n. 12). He sent eleven to Theo on 3 January (see letter 834).
13. Road menders (‘The tall plane trees’) (F 657 / JH 1860 [2872]). In letter 834 Van Gogh writes that the repetition is ‘more finished’; F 657 is less detailed and must therefore be the first version referred to here. Cf. exhib. cat. New York 1986, p. 171.
[2872]
14. Diggers (after Millet) (F 648 / JH 1833 [2856]). Van Gogh painted it after a photo of Millet’s The two diggers [1876]. See letter 805, n. 7.
[2856] [1876]
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