1. On 31 January 1890 Jo gave birth to a boy, who was named after his godfather: Vincent Willem. On 27 June 1889, Jo van Gogh-Bonger wrote to her family in Amsterdam: ‘we have already talked about what we should call our little boy. Theo would like “Vincent” but I don’t attach much importance to names’ (FR b4290).

2. Jo’s parents lived in Amsterdam; Mrs van Gogh and Willemien lived in Breda.

3. Jo’s youngest brother, Willem (Wim) Adriaan Bonger.

4. Marcelle Roulin (F 441 / JH 1641

); this canvas was included in the third consignment of paintings from Arles (see letter 767).

5. Van Gogh asked this in letter 782.

6. On 27 June 1889, Jo wrote to her family that De Haan had come from Pont-Aven to attend a family reunion in Saint-Cloud (FR b4290). De Haan himself later wrote that he had come for ‘the Paris exhibition’ (FR b1042).

Jo’s new role as hostess was not always easy for her. In fact, Jo’s sister Mien wrote: ‘Weren’t you scared when Tersteegh ate at your place? If I were you, I’d always take too much in future, if someone is coming to eat, it can’t do any harm, after all. Don’t you ever have a joint of beef, like you had at Annie’s?’ (FR b2909, 12 June 1889).

8. On 11 July, Jo wrote to her sister Mien: ‘Theo has not been well all along – he coughs and looks thin and pale, I don’t know what it is – he eats like a horse ... He says he would like to have a week’s holiday and go outdoors! If only that were true’ (FR b4291).

9. Regarding the Secrétan sale, see letter 785, n. 8.

10. Van Gogh had written about Shakespeare in letter 784.

11. On 17 July 1883 Jo wrote in her diary about her ‘delight at seeing the Merchant of Venice acted. How great, how immense a genius must Shakespeare have possessed, that still now after almost three centuries his work delights and attracts alike all nations. How well I remember the time, when I said that I could not understand how people always rave about Shakespeare. Now I have understood it and feel proud of it for it shows me that at least I have made some progress. The scene which struck me most was: Portia in the habit of a young barrister, her hands lifted up to heaven, exclaiming in her sweet tender voice

The quality of mercy is not strained

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath.....

The scenery was splendid and I do not think it will be easy to efface from my memory that sight of Venice with its palaces and terraces and gondolas and masques and splendour and luxury. I am very glad I saw it’ (FR b4550. Cf. also FR b1769).

The quotation is from act 4, scene 2. See The merchant of Venice. Ed. John Russell Brown. 7th ed. London 1959, p. 111. The production Jo saw took place in London’s Lyceum Theatre and was directed by Henry Irving. Ellen Terry played the role of Portia. The programme is to be found in the estate (FR b3682). Cf. also Alan Hughes, Henry Irving, Shakespearean. Cambridge 1981.

12. The Dutch performances that Jo probably saw were produced by the Koninklijke Vereeniging het Nederlandsch toneel. On 21 January 1882 this company performed Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Grand Théâtre in Amsterdam (and the next day in the Royal Theatre of The Hague). Macbeth was performed on 15 and 17 September 1887 in the Amsterdam Municipal Theatre (and on the 18th in The Hague). See Amsterdam, Archives Theaterinstituut, and cf. Robert Leek, Shakespeare in Nederland. Kroniek van vier eeuwen Shakespeare in Nederlandse vertalingen en op het Nederlands toneel. Zutphen 1988.