1. The ‘wheatfield’, ‘mountains’ and ‘orchard’ are Wheatfield after a storm (F 611 / JH 1723 [2796]), The Alpilles with a hut (F 622 / JH 1766 [2823]) and Orchard (F 511 / JH 1386 [2584]), respectively. See letter 805.
[2796] [2823] [2584]
2. In August-September 1889 Isaäcson wrote a series of articles – in a sensitivist, impressionistic style – titled ‘Paris letters’, for De Portefeuille. Kunst- en Letterbode: ‘Parijsche brieven i. Praatjes en impressies over den 14den Juli’ (Paris letters i. Conversations and impressions of the 14th July) on 3 August 1889, pp. 224-226; ‘Parijsche brieven ii. Gevoelens over de Nederlandsche kunst op de Parijsche Wereld-tentoonstelling’ (Paris letters ii. Feelings about the Dutch art at the Paris World Exhibition) on 10 August 1889, pp. 233-234; ‘Parijsche brieven iii. ‘Gevoelens over de Nederlandsche kunst op de Parijsche Wereld-tentoonstelling. ii’ (Paris letters iii. Feelings about the Dutch art at the Paris World Exhibition. ii), on 17 August 1889, pp. 248-249; ‘Parijsche brieven iv. Op de tentoonstelling’ (Paris letters iv. At the exhibition) on 24 August 1889, pp. 260-261; ‘Parijsche brieven v. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst en Fransche poseurkunst. iii’ (Paris letters v. Feelings about Dutch art and French poseur’s art iii) on 31 August 1889, pp. 268-270; ‘Parijsche brieven vi. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst op de Parijsche tentoonstelling. iv’ (Paris letters vi. Feelings about Dutch art at the Paris exhibition. iv) on 21 September 1889, pp. 307-309; ‘Parijsche brieven vii. Gevoelens over Hollandsche kunst op de Parijsche tentoonstelling. v’ (Paris letters vii. Feelings about Dutch art at the Paris exhibition. v) on 28 September 1889, pp. 316-317.
3. Van Gogh had asked for reproductions of Millet’s The Diggers [1876], The sower [1888], Winter: The plain of Chailly [1892] and The four times of the day [1679] [1680] [1681] [1682]; see letter 805.
[1876] [1888] [1892] [1679]
4. In letter 805 Vincent had written that the religious nature of the asylum at Saint-Rémy was the most important reason for him to move.
5. Shortly before 14 July, Van Gogh had travelled under supervision to Arles to collect paintings he had left behind; see letter 789.
6. Camille Pissarro must have met Theo before 28 September 1889, since he wrote on that date from Paris to his wife Julie: ‘Van Gogh asked me if it would be convenient for us to take his brother with us next spring; the doctors where he is have pronounced that he is cured, that his trouble may come back, however, but in brief attacks. I told Van Gogh that that wasn’t possible for us, that you had a lot of problems with the children, but that I’ll see if we couldn’t find a place where he could live quietly and work; that isn’t easy.’ (Van Gogh m’a demandé si il ne nous conviendrait pas de prendre son frère avec nous au printemps prochain, les médecins où il se trouve ont déclaré qu’il était guéri, que son mal cependant peut revenir, mais par petits accès. J’ai dit à Van Gogh que cela ne nous était pas possible, que tu avais beaucoup de mal avec les enfants, mais que je verrai si nous ne pourrions pas trouver un endroit où il pourrait vivre tranquille et travailler, ce n’est pas facile.) See Correspondance Pissarro 1980-1991, vol. 2, pp. 297-299.
The doctor Theo writes about was Paul-Ferdinand Gachet. He lived in Auvers, about 30 km north-west of Paris. He was acquainted with Pissarro, Cézanne and Guillaumin, among others, and was, moreover, an amateur painter and etcher. A specialist in ‘nervous disorders’, he entertained modern ideas on the subject, advocating homeopathic medicine and using electric shock therapy to treat patients. He had an office in Paris where he treated patients several days a week. See Hulsker 1990-1, p. 418, and exhib. cat. Paris 1999.
a. Read: ‘séjourner’.
7. Pissarro lived in Eragny-par-Gisors (Val-d’Oise)near Pontoise, about 10 km west of Auvers.
8. At the beginning of September, Gauguin had sent Theo several recent canvases from Pont-Aven; see letter 799, n. 10.
9. Bernard had spent the month of August in Saint-Briac in Brittany, but was back in Paris in September. See exhib. cat. Mannheim 1990, p. 98.
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