3. The lithograph Sorrow (F 1655 / JH 259

). The impression sent to Theo with the note ‘1re épreuve’ is in the collection of the Van Gogh Museum (inv. no. p 14 V/1962). See Van Heugten and Pabst 1995, pp. 42, 90, cat. no. 2.

4. The three known impressions of Sorrow come from the estates of Theo and Van Rappard. The copy for Heyerdahl is not known, nor is the impression of Old man (‘an earlier one’) for Buhot. See Van Heugten and Pabst 1995, pp. 42, 90, cat. no. 2.

5. The plural ‘very first ones’ indicates that there were a number of copies with the note ‘1re épreuve’.

6. For the three known diggers from this period, Digger F 906 / JH 260

, F 907 / JH 261

and F 908 / JH 258, see letter 281, n. 10.

7. This drawing is not known.

8. The fact that Van Gogh asks specifically about La Vie Moderne is explained by an earlier letter from Theo about special transfer paper in use at the magazine; see letter 280.

9. Which prints from La Vie Moderne Van Gogh had in his possession at this point is impossible to determine. Sixteen sheets from this magazine survive in the estate; they include only one series of three from the same issue, namely Auguste Lançon, Les chinois fumeurs d’opium à Londres (Chinese opium smokers in London); Auguste Lançon, Au music-hall (At the music hall) and Jean-François Millet, Le berger (The shepherd) (t*1348 (2 prints on 1 sheet) and t*914); they appeared in La Vie Moderne 2 (16 October 1880), no. 42.

It is odd that Van Gogh talks about a ‘very old issue’ (ll. 45-46): La Vie Moderne had only been published since 1879. He may have been thinking of another magazine.

10. For this series of miners

by Renouard, see letter 284, n. 11.

11. For the ‘Zuid-Hollandsch Koffiehuis’, see letter 214, n. 9; the statement quoted was also cited in letter 278.

12. For Smulders, see letter 253, n. 9. Who Smulders’s workmen were is not known.

13. For this quotation from Herkomer, see letter 278, n. 7.

14. Pot-bouille (1882) was the most recent novel in the Rougeon-Macquart-cycle by Emile Zola. The lead character is Octave Mouret, who moves from the provinces to an apartment building in Paris. He discovers that the other occupants lead an outwardly respectable life among the bourgeoisie, but do so to conceal their poverty, adultery or opportunism. A recurring theme is their unsympathetic behaviour towards the domestic staff. The sole exception is honest Madame Hédouin, who manages the department store Au bonheur des dames and sees qualities in Mouret that can benefit her business; she decides to offer him her hand in marriage.