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504 To Anthon van Rappard. Nuenen, Monday, 25 May 1885.

metadata
No. 504 (Brieven 1990 508, Complete Letters R51)
From: Vincent van Gogh
To: Anthon van Rappard
Date: Nuenen, Monday, 25 May 1885

Source status
Original manuscript

Location
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b8382 V/2006

Date
Van Gogh wrote his terse note actually on Van Rappard’s letter of 24 May (503), which he had ‘just’ received. This means that in all likelihood his reply was written one day later than the letter, which is why we have dated it Monday, 25 May 1885.

original text
 1r:1
Amice Rappard
Uw schrijven ontving ik zooeven – tot mijn verwondering.– Ge ontvangt het hierbij terug.–1
Na groete

Vincent

translation
 1r:1
My dear friend Rappard
I just received your letter — to my surprise. You hereby get it back.1
Sincerely,

Vincent
notes
1. Van Gogh was very put out by Van Rappard’s criticism in response to the lithograph of The potato eaters . Returning a letter in this way was tantamount to ending the relationship. Van Gogh explained himself in more detail in letter 514.