1r:1
My dear Theo
Thank you very much for your letter, for the 100-franc note enclosed with it, and also the 50-franc money order.
I myself think that Gauguin had become a little disheartened by the good town of Arles, by the little yellow house where we work, and above all by me.1
Indeed, there are bound to be grave difficulties still to overcome here, for him as well as for me.
But these difficulties are rather within ourselves than elsewhere.
All in all, I think personally that he’ll either definitely go or he’ll definitely stay. I told him to think and do his sums again before acting.
Gauguin is very strong, very creative, but precisely because of that he must have peace.  1v:2
Will he find it elsewhere if he doesn’t find it here?
I’m waiting with absolute serenity for him to make a decision. Good handshake.

Vincent

724

Br. 1990: 731 | CL: 565
From: Vincent van Gogh
To: Theo van Gogh
Date: Arles, on or about Tuesday, 11 December 1888
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1. Gauguin wrote to Theo: ‘I should be obliged if you would send me part of the money for the paintings that have been sold. Taking everything into account I am obliged to return to Paris; Vincent and I can absolutely not live side by side without trouble, as a result of incompatibility of temperament, and both he and I need tranquillity for our work. He is a man of remarkable intelligence, whom I greatly respect and whom I leave with regret, but I repeat, it is necessary’ (Je vous serais obligé de m’envoyer une partie de l’argent des tableaux vendus. Tout calcul fait je suis obligé de rentrer à Paris; Vincent et moi ne pouvons absolument vivre côte à côte sans trouble par suite d’incompatibilité d’humeur et lui comme moi avons besoin de tranquilité pour notre travail. C’est un homme remarquable d’intelligence que j’estime beaucoup et que je quitte à regret, mais je vous le répète c’est necessaire). See Correspondance Gauguin 1984, p. 301.