1. The printer Smulders in Spuistraat.

2. Van Rappard already had one lithograph, probably Old man (F 1658 / JH 256 ), and otherwise Sorrow (F 1655 / JH 259 ); for this uncertainty, see letter 284, n. 3. In any case he received the others with this letter and Digger (F 1656 / JH 262 ) and Old man drinking coffee (F 1657 / JH 266 ) as well.

3. The model drawing for the lithograph was probably Old man drinking coffee (F 996a / JH 264 ), or F 1682 / JH 263 . See letter 285, n. 2.

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

4. The model drawing for the lithograph Digger is not known.

5. Man sitting by the fireplace (‘Worn out’) (F 863 / JH 34 ).

6. Two drawings connected to the lithograph ‘At eternity’s gate’ (F 1662 / JH 268 ) are known: ‘Worn out’ (F 997 / JH 267 ), which was the immediate model for the lithograph, and Study for ‘Worn out’ (F - / JH -). The study with the other model remains unknown, see also letter 286, n. 3. The compositionally different Sorrowful old man (F 998 / JH 269) was probably made somewhat later, see Otterlo 2007, pp. 172-4. Cf. for the pose of the old man: McChesney Alhadeff 1996.

7. In letter 289 Van Gogh says a little more about the nature of the proposal. When Van Rappard learned (through a letter that is no longer known) that the loss of the letter with money would put an end to the lithographic experiments, he replied: ‘don’t let that hold you back, and count on me if you can’t carry on or need something’ (ll. 7-8).

8. Herman van der Weele was a teacher at the secondary school in The Hague and at the Ambachtsschool (technical school).

9. It is not known which engraving after Francis Montague Holl was enclosed.

10. Van Rappard’s example may have encouraged Van Gogh to buy a large collection of The Graphic just over a month later; see letters 302 ff.

11. In this context Black and White is the term applied to the engraved magazine illustrations such as those published in The Graphic and The Illustrated London News.

b. Means: ‘komt niet in aanmerking’ (is not feasible).

12. The hardest types of lithographic crayon are called ‘copal’ because copal, a fossil resin, is added to them.

13. Van Gogh had been living at this address since July 1882 (see letter 243). Perhaps Van Rappard was still sending letters to the old address (at number 138), although in letter 256 to Van Rappard Van Gogh talked about the ‘new studio’.