1. Van Gogh had depicted this field in his three versions of the Reaper: F 617 / JH 1753 [2813], F 618 / JH 1773 [2828] and F 619 / JH 1792 [2844]. The new study is Ploughed field with a man carrying a bundle of straw (F 641 / JH 1795 [2846]).
[2813] [2828] [2844] [2846]
2. The bedroom (F 484 / JH 1771 [3007]) is the repetition of The bedroom (F 482 / JH 1608 [2735]).
[3007] [2735]
3. Entrance to a quarry (F 635 / JH 1767 [2824]).
[2824]
4. The description ‘the pines and the cedar bushes against the blue’ refers to Pine trees in the garden of the asylum (F 643 / JH 1799 [2850]). The second work is probably Trees in the garden of the asylum (F 642 / JH 1798 [2849]).
[2850] [2849]
5. For the paintings Black region, Borinage [1150], Female coal-pit drawers (the coupling point) and Return from the pit (black) by Meunier, which Theo had written about, see letter 802, n. 5.
[1150] [892] [893]
6. In letter 808 Van Gogh had said that he urgently needed zinc white and canvas.
7. Vincent owed Dr Peyron 125 francs; see letter 808.
8. Van Gogh is probably referring here to the letter from Gauguin, receipt of which he confirmed in letter 797 of 22 August. From letter 808 it emerges that he had not yet answered it.
9. Regarding Bernard’s military service, see letter 575, n. 8.
10. Pierre Billet was a pupil of Jules Breton. He belonged to the second generation of realists and specialized in portraying the life of peasants and fishermen.
11. Otto Weber, a pupil of Steffeck in Berlin and Couture in Paris, had specialized in landscape painting. In 1854 his work was exhibited at the Berlin Salon, and he received prizes at the Paris Salon of 1864 and 1869. He later settled in London, where he worked for Queen Victoria. From 1874 until his death he exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, specializing in watercolours. Van Gogh’s remark therefore refers to work Weber had made before 1874.
12. The husband is at sea (after Demont-Breton) (F 644 / JH 1805 [2854]). For the print by Virginie Demont-Breton after which Van Gogh made the painting, see letter 800, n. 26.
[2854]
13. For Daudet’s Tartarin sur les Alpes, see letter 583, n. 9.
14. Theo had received The Alpilles with a hut (F 622 / JH 1766 [2823]) in the second consignment from Saint-Rémy; see letter 807.
[2823]
15. Ravine (F 662 / JH 1804 [2853]). Owing to a lack of canvas (see ll. 55-56), Van Gogh painted this over a landscape from June 1889. See Chavannes and Van Tilborgh 2007.
[2853]
16. It is not known which work by Monticelli is referred to here.
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