2Since I am here in Paris
3I have very often thought of your self and work_1
4You will remember that I liked your colour_/
5your ideas on art and litterature and I add_/
6most of all_/ your personality_

7I have already before now thought that
8I ought to let you know what I was doing_/
9where I was.–

10But what refrained me was that I find
11living in Paris is much dearer than in
12Antwerp and not knowing
13what your circumstances are I dare
14not say Come over to Paris_/ without
15warning you that it costs one dearer than Antwerp
16and that if poor_/ one has to suffer many
17things.– As you may imagine_–
18But on the other hand there is more
19chance of selling_

20There is also a good chance of exchanging
21pictures with other artists_

22In one word_/ with much energy_/ with
23a sincere personal feeling of colour in nature
24I would say an artist can get on
25here notwithstanding the many obstructions_
26And I intend remaining here still
27longer.–

28There is much to be seen here
29– for instance Delacroix
30to name only one master_

31In Antwerp I did not even know
32what the impressionists were_/
33now I have seen them2 and
34though not being one of the club_/
35yet I have much admired certain
36impressionist pictures – de Gas_/
37nude figure – Claude Monet_/ landscape_3

38And now for what regards what I
39myself have been doing_/ I have
40lacked money for paying models_/
41else I had entirely given myself to
42figurepainting but I have
43made a series of colour studies
44in painting simply flowers_/4
45red poppies_/ blue corn flowers
46and myosotys. white and rose roses_/
47yellow chrysantemums – seeking
48oppositions of blue with orange_/
49red & green_/ yellow and violet_/
50 seeking LES TONS ROMPUS ET NEUTRES
51to harmonise brutal extremes_

52Trying to render intense COLOUR
53and not a grey harmony_5

54Now after these gymnastics6 I lately
55did two heads7 which I dare say
56are better in light and colour than
57those I did before_–

58So as we said at the time in COLOUR
59seeking life_/ the true drawing is
60modelling with colour_

61I did a dozen landscapes too_/
62frankly green_/ frankly blue_8

63And so I am struggling for life
64and progress in art_

65Now I would very much like to know
66what you are doing and
67whether you ever think of going
68to Paris_–

69If ever you did come here_/ write
70to me before and I will_/ if you
71like_/ share my lodgings and
72studio9 with you so long as I have
73any. In spring – say February
74or even sooner I may be going
75to the South of France_/10
76the land of the blue tones
77and gay colours_

78And look here_/ if I knew
79you had longings for the
80same we might combine_
81I felt sure at the time that
82you are a thorough colourist
83and since I saw the impressionists
84I assure you that neither your
85colour nor mine as it is developping
86itself_/ is exactly the same as
87their theories but so much
88dare I say_/ we have a chance
89and a good one of finding friends_

90I hope your health is all right_
91I was rather low down in health when
92in Antwerp but got better here_

93Write to me_/ in any case remember
94me to Allen_/ Briet_/ Rink_/ Durand_/11 but I have
95not so often thought on any of them as I
96did think of you – almost daily.

97Shaking hands cordially.

100My present adress is

101M^r Vincent van Gogh

104What regards my chances of sale_/ look here_/
105they are certainly not much but still
106I do have a beginning_

107At this present moment I have found
108four dealers who have exhibited studies of mine_12
109And I have exchanged studies with several
110artists_13

111Now the prices are 50 francs_
112Certainly not much but – as far as
113I can see one must sell cheap
114to rise_/ and even at costing price_
115And mind my dear fellow_/
116Paris is Paris_/ there is but one
117Paris and however hard living may
118be here and if it became worse
119and harder even – the french
120air clears up the brain and does
121one good – a world of good_–

122I have been in Cormons studio
123for three or four months but did
124not find that so useful as I had
125expected it to be.14 It may be
126my fault however_/ any how
127I left there too as I left Antwerp
128and since I worked alone_/ and
129fancy that since I feel my own self
130more_–

131Trade is slow here_/ the great dealers
132sell Millet_/ Delacroix_/ Corot_/ Daubigny_/ Dupre_/
133a few other masters at exorbitant prices_
134They do little or nothing for young artists_
135The second class dealers contrariwise
136sell those but at very low prices_
137If I asked more I would do nothing_/
138I fancy. However I have faith
139in colour_/ even what regards the price
140the public will pay for it in the
141longer run_–

142But for the present things are awfully
143hard_/ therefore let anyone who risks
144to go over here consider there is no
145laying on roses at all_

146What is to be gained is progress
147and_/ what the deuce_/ that it is to
148be found here I dare ascertain_
149Anyone who has a solid position
150elsewhere_/ let him stay where he is but
151for adventurers as myself I think
152they lose nothing in risking more_
153Especially as in my case I am not an
154adventurer by choice but by fate and
155feeling nowhere so much myself a stranger
156as in my family and country_–

157Kindly remember me to your landlady
158Mrs Roosmaalen15 and say her that if she will
159exhibit something of my work I will send her a small
160picture of mine_–