1. Abbreviation of the French ‘près’ (near). Holbækgaard, the country estate of the Mourier-Petersen family, lies to the north of Ørsted.

2. Around 22 May 1888 Mourier-Petersen left Arles for Paris, where he stayed from around 6 June to about 15 August with Theo in rue Lepic. He had spent the months of November and December in the Netherlands. See Larsson 1993, pp. 26-27 (n. 95), 29.

3. Rembrandt, Susanna at the bath, 1636 (The Hague, Royal Cabinet of Paintings Mauritshuis). Ill. 372

. For Rembrandt’s Jewish bride , see letter 430, n. 10. Mourier-Petersen thus visited the Mauritshuis in The Hague and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. His copies are not known.

4. This could refer to Theodor Philipsen, Oda and Christian Krohg, Viggo Johansen and Erik Werenskiold, the Scandinavian artists who participated in the exhibition Nordiske og franske Impressionister, held in Copenhagen from 31 October to 11 November 1889. See exhib. cat. Stockholm 2002, p. 161. The ‘reactionary jury’ most likely refers to the Academy’s board of governors.

5. The exhibition Franske Kunstvaerker was held in Copenhagen from 18 May to 16 October 1888. There was a separate room with paintings by Manet, Monet, Angrand and Sisley, supplied by Theo van Gogh. For many Danish artists this was their first introduction to Impressionism. See Larsson 1993, pp. 4-7. Monet exhibited three seascapes (cat. nos. 201-203). See also Wildenstein 1996, vol. 4, p. 1017.

Four works by Besnard were on display, namely Le sauveur, ballade écossaise (The saviour, Scottish ballad) (cat. no. 27), Après le bain (After bathing) (pastel, cat. no. 28), Soleil du matin (Morning sun) (pastel, cat. no. 29) and Portrait de Mme R.I. (Portrait of Mrs R.I.) (cat. no. 30). See Illustreret katalog over udstillingen af Franske kunstvaerker. F. Hendriksen. Exhib. cat. Copenhagen, 1888. Copenhagen 1888.

6. The World Exhibition was held in Paris from 5 May to 5 November 1889. In the Palais du Champ de Mars, the Danish were represented by 190 paintings. See exhib. cat. Paris 1889-3, pp. 71-74.

7. On 25 February 1890 Mourier-Petersen thanked Theo for his hospitality by sending him the painting Tulip field, c. 1890 (Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum).