1. The economic recession that set in around 1874 was at its deepest in 1886. The world economy collapsed, wages fell and unemployment rose. During the international agricultural crisis – from 1878 onwards – the pace of change in rural areas increased dramatically. One of the causes of the prolonged depression was the development of extensive cattle farming in America, which was considerably cheaper than the farming methods in Western Europe. There was a flight from the country to the towns and cities, and the poorest of the poor suffered severe hardship. This crisis led to the use of new technologies in Europe.

2. This proposal to study with Cormon is a major subject in the coming weeks; see also letter 557 and n. 1 to that letter, where it appears that Theo agrees.

3. The original idea was that Van Gogh would help his mother with her preparations for the move from Nuenen to Breda.

4. Van Gogh would have to find another room, because he had given notice on his previous studio at the Schafrats’ in Nuenen.

5. The Nuenen farmer Gerardus Huizing lived in De Berg (district F) and had been a witness at the compiling of the inventory; Vincent had also been present. The Van Goghs knew him well: he was an elder of the Reformed congregation and lived in a farmhouse belonging to the Maatschappij van Welstand, opposite the parsonage (RHC, and exhib. cat. ’s-Hertogenbosch 1987, pp. 87, 89). See for Adriaan Rijken: letter 558, n. 7.