I’ve read Bracquemond’s book more than once, and have thought about it a lot.1 Although what he says about the colours isn’t new — although it comes down to the same thing — at bottom — as the theories that Delacroix discovered2 — although what he says about drawing — modelling is drawing, drawing is modelling3 — isn’t new either — all the same, I’ve seldom read more powerful words for these and other truths. In short — I think the book very good — and have thought about it a lot.

What I have for you are some still lifes — of a basket of potatoes — fruit — a copper kettle &c.,4 but which I made specifically in connection with modelling with different colours, and I would like Portier to see them.  1v:2

I’ll send them to you as soon as I have the money because am at the end of the month.

Am also curious about the Lhermitte, whether there’s been one this month.5

I sent for paint from Schoenfeld in Düsseldorf,6 a few colours that I can’t easily get here.

The fact that the colour isn’t right in the painting of the potato eaters7 is at least in part the fault of the paint. I was reminded of it because I was painting a large still life in which I was looking for similar tones and, not satisfied with it because I was getting the same things as then in it again — redid it.8 And going by that experience, I would have got it much better with mineral blue, which I have now,9 than with what I had until now.

Regards.