793 (794, T13): Theo van Gogh to Vincent van Gogh. Paris, Monday, 29 July 1889.

[Letterhead: Goupil and Boussod Paris]

29 July 1889

My dear Vincent,

I’m a little worried that you haven’t received my letter, which contained a postal order for 10 francs.1 You usually write immediately you receive it, otherwise I’d say that you haven’t had the time. I reproach myself for writing to you so seldom, but writing letters has been extremely difficult for me of late, I don’t know why. I received your 1r:2 last consignment in perfect condition, and find it extremely beautiful. Are these things which you had put aside expressly to let them dry, for in most of these canvases I find more clarity of expression and such a beautiful ensemble. The Undergrowth with the trees surrounded with ivy,2 the Lane in Arles3 and the Fields with the gardens in springtime4 are really beautiful, these, and some others too, are now mounted on stretching frames from which we removed those that were on them and are currently at Tanguy’s. They make a fine display in the frame. Tanguy himself likes them very much too. I think you 1v:3 choose fine subjects for paintings, those tufted trees full of freshness and bathed in the light of the sun are marvellously beautiful. If you were living in surroundings entirely to your taste and you were surrounded by people you liked and who returned your friendship, I would be very pleased, for you cannot work better than you are doing. And what a quantity of fine things you’ve produced. It’s fortunate that your health is good. Mr Peyron wrote to me recently that he found your condition very satisfactory.5 1v:4 Let’s hope that it’ll go from strength to strength.

Jo’s parents are here at the moment, her mother with us and her father at André’s.6 It’s a good distraction, especially for Jo, and it forces her to move about, which appears to be necessary. She’s looking well and is merely a little weak. As for me, I look like a corpse, but I’ve been to see Rivet, who gave me all kinds of drugs, which are good, though, in that they’ve stopped that cough that was killing me. I think it has gone now. It’s the change of life, and with the way I’m looked after now I’ll regain strength, once the illness is over. Yesterday we all went to St-Germain. Oh, how beautiful the countryside is! Why do people go and wear themselves out in towns when they could breathe some of that good air that gives back life? Do you now leave the building sometimes?

Write to me when you can – tell me something of how things are going, don’t work too hard. Good handshake, from Jo as well.

Yours,

Theo

Thank you a thousand times for the beautiful consignment.

793 | Show metadata

Br. 1990: 794 | CL: T13
From: Theo van Gogh
To: Vincent van Gogh
Date: Paris, Monday, 29 July 1889
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1. This was letter 792. Vincent had not written to Theo because he had suffered another attack shortly after his trip to Arles, probably on 16 or 17 July, for otherwise he would have been able to reply to Theo’s letter. Dr Peyron informed Theo of the attack only at the beginning of August (see letter 794). When Van Gogh left the asylum, Peyron described the various attacks in his ‘monthly notes’ in the admissions register of Saint-Rémy. (See Le grand registre de l’asile de Saint-Rémy, in Documentation, 8 May 1889.)

2. Trees with ivy in the garden of the asylum (F 609 / JH 1693