3. The Roulins chose Augustine Roulin (‘La berceuse’) (F 505 / JH 1669

); the repetition of it (the fourth version) is F 507 / JH 1672

. See Hoermann Lister 2001, p. 73.

4. Frédéric Mistral’s Mirèio. Pouèmo prouvençau (1859) is an epic poem of twelve cantos, written in Provençal dialect. There were editions containing a parallel text in French (cf. ed. Paris 1864). The tragic love story serves as the basis of the opera Mireille (1864) by the French composer Charles Gounod.

5. The prophetess Pythia, seated on a golden tripod in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, uttered incoherent words that had to be interpreted by priests.

6. From Van Gogh’s first stay in hospital, there had been tentative plans to have him taken to an asylum in Aix-en-Provence. On 29 December 1888 the mayor of Arles was asked to take measures to this end; see letter 728, n. 1. Roulin wrote about it to Theo on 28 December, and Mrs van Gogh was informed as well, as is apparent from her letter to Theo, written a day later (FR b1066 and FR b2425). At the end of February 1889 there was again talk of transferring Van Gogh to Aix; see letter 750, n. 3.

7. Van Gogh had written in his previous letters about his ambition to produce in the near future a series of presentable (and thus saleable) paintings. See letters 741, 743 and 744.

8. The repetitions made for Gauguin were Sunflowers in a vase (F 455 / JH 1668

) and Sunflowers in a vase (F 458 / JH 1667

). See letter 736, n. 12.

9. Gauguin would indeed receive a version of La berceuse; see letter 776, n. 4.

10. Reference to works from the Faure Collection exhibited in rue Laffitte; see letter 743, n. 11.

11. The harvest (F 412 / JH 1440

12. The white orchard (F 403 / JH 1378

13. Mousmé (F 431 / JH 1519

14. Sower with setting sun (F 422 / JH 1470

15. The agent in charge of the Yellow House was Bernard Soulè; the owner was Marie Louise Verdier; see letter 602, n. 19. There was talk of renting Van Gogh’s house to a tobacconist; see letter 735.

16. This move did not take place; on 4 February Theo rented an apartment at 8 cité Pigalle. He moved into the apartment with Jo on 20 April 1889. See Brief happiness 1999, pp. 27, 137. In January Theo had drawn a floor plan for Jo of the layout of the apartment (FR b1900; see Brief happiness 1999, p. 128 (with illustration opposite p. 144). He also gave his parents-in-law detailed information about the new apartment, including a floor plan. Jo’s parents were particularly pleased about the short distance to boulevard Montmartre, which meant that Theo could at least lunch regularly with Jo at home – and ‘That’s a load off your mind, isn’t it, the worry about renting, and the nicest thing is that you will be able to see some greenery in the summer’ (FR b2892, 9 February 1889; FR b2894, 26 February 1889).

17. Regarding Van Gogh’s neighbours, see letter 744, n. 6.

18. The ‘Chronique locale’ in Le Forum Républicain of Sunday, 30 December 1888 reported that in the night of 23 December Van Gogh had offered his severed ear to ‘a certain Rachel’ (la nommée Rachel) at ‘brothel No. 1’ (maison de tolérance No. 1) in rue du Bout d’Arles. The brothel was on the corner of rue des Glacières and rue du Bout d'Arles. Police officer Alphonse Robert later recalled that the girl worked under the name of Gaby (Doiteau and Leroy 1939, p. 6). The identity of the prostitute Rachel/Gaby remains a mystery. For an interpretation see Murphy 2016, pp. 66-69, 217-227.

19. The French venereologist Philippe Ricord proved that syphilis and gonorrhoea were distinct diseases. He demonstrated the specific nature of syphilis and distinguished three stages of the disease. Ricord set forth his findings in such publications as Monographie du chancre (1837) and Traité pratique des maladies vénériennes (1838). For Raspail, see letter 735, n. 11. Van Gogh most likely means: just like Ricord cures venereal disease, Raspail will be able to give me the best advice, namely home medication. Van Gogh depicted Raspail’s book Manuel annuaire de la santé in Still life with onions and Annuaire de la santé (F 604 / JH 1656