1. The first of the two lithographs sent is Digger (F 1656 / JH 262 ), of which four impressions are known. The other is Old man drinking coffee (F 1657 / JH 266 ), three impressions of which are known. There is one copy of each with the note ‘1re épreuve’ in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

2. The drawing on which Digger was based is not known. The basis for Old man drinking coffee was probably the drawing F 996a / JH 264 ; another possibility is F 1682 / JH 263 . See Van Heugten and Pabst 1995, pp. 43-51, 91-92, cat. nos. 3 and 4; and cat. Amsterdam 1996, pp. 133-135, cat. no. 32.

a. Means: ‘overbrengen’ (transfer of the drawing).

b. Means: ‘wassing’ (wash).

3. In December 1882 Herman Johannes van der Weele was living at Hobbemastraat 17 in The Hague (Adresboeken 1881-1883). A separate address for his studio is not given. Photos of his studio in P.A. Haaxman Jr, ‘H.J. van der Weele’, Elsevier’s Geïllustreerd Maandblad 8 (1898), vol. 16, p. 305 and exhib. cat. The Hague 2005, p. 39, where the street is given as Statenlaan. As shown by letter 287, Van der Weele’s visit took place on Sunday, 19 November 1882.

4. Van der Weele painted numerous ploughs and ox-carts with morning, afternoon and evening effects. It is not possible to identify the two ‘studies’ referred to here.

5. Ox-cart on the heath may well be Van der Weele’s Peasant on an ox cart (Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum). Ill. 454 . Cf. Van Gogh Museum Journal 1995, p. 207 and Hefting 1976, p. 135.

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. From this remark it is evident that Theo had again enclosed money with his letter that arrived on 16 or 17 November (see letter 283).

8. For the expression ‘lift up our hearts’ (Sursum corda), see letter 143, n. 49.

9. For the monthly De Zwaluw, see letter 278, n. 8.

10. A 3rd class return ticket from The Hague to Rotterdam would have cost Van Gogh about 1 to 1.25 guilders (Utrecht, Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum).

11. The lithograph Sorrow (F 1655 / JH 259 ) was sent at the same time as letter 283.

12. Means: ‘with the burr not removed’, hence rough. For ‘non ébarbé’ see also letter 217, n. 2.

c. ‘Hachure’ is another word for hatching or shading of short lines.