520 To Anthon van Rappard. Nuenen, between about Tuesday, 21 and Friday, 24 July 1885.

metadata

No. 520 (Brieven 1990 520, Complete Letters R56)
From: Vincent van Gogh
To: Anthon van Rappard
Date: Nuenen, between about Tuesday, 21 and Friday, 24 July 1885

Source status

Original manuscript

Location

Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b8388 V/2006

Date

Van Gogh is still waiting for Van Rappard’s reply to letter 517, and says ‘once more’ that unpleasant as he finds the disagreement which has arisen, he is nonetheless willing to regard it as a ‘misunderstanding’ (l. 8) which it must be possible to put right. He now urges him to come to a decision about their friendship, which has to be taken ‘this week’ (l. 13). From the next letter to Van Rappard, which was written on 27 July, it appears that Van Gogh wants to patch up the quarrel – this must have been in response to Van Rappard’s reply. We have therefore dated the letter between about Tuesday, 21 and Friday, 24 July 1885. Cf. letter 522, Date.

Ongoing topic

Van Rappard’s reaction to the lithograph of The potato eaters (503)

original text

1r:1

Amice Rappard,

Tot mijn leedwezen merk ik tot heden niet van Uw antwoord.– Hoe meer ik er over nadenk, hoe meer ik er volstrekt niet tegen op zie mijnerzijds te coupeeren, tenzij ge ten eenemale eene correspondentie terugneemt die U zelf – naar mijn meening – niet tot eer strekt. Ik zeg echter nog eens, ik wil de heele kwestie als een misvatting beschouwen en niets veranderen aan de vriendschap.

Maar uitdrukkelijk op voorwaarde ge zelf inziet – dat ge U vergist hebt.– Daar ik in geen geval het slepende wil houden, verzoek ik U deze week nog me te antwoorden. En zal dan naarmate van uw schrijven weten te beslissen.–

Gebeurt het deze week niet dat ge schrijft – zoo begeer ik Uw antwoord niet meer.– En moet de tijd maar uitmaken of Uwe aanmerkingen op mijn werk en op mijn persoon al dan niet gemotiveerd – al dan niet te goeder trouw – blijken zullen.

Na groete

Vincent

translation

1r:1

My dear friend Rappard,

To my regret I’ve still not had your reply as of today. The more I think about it, the more I, for my part, really do not mind cutting off relations unless you take back once and for all a communication which — in my view — does you no credit. However, I say once more that I’m willing to regard the whole question as a misunderstanding and change nothing in the friendship.

But expressly on condition that you yourself realize — that you’ve made a mistake. Since on no account do I want to keep it dragging on, I ask you to answer me this week. And then, according to your letter, will know what to decide.

Should you not write this week — then I will no longer desire your answer. And time will just have to tell whether your comments on my work and on my person will prove to be justified or not — in good faith or not.

Sincerely,

Vincent