844 Paul Gauguin to Vincent van Gogh. Le Pouldu, Wednesday, 22 or Thursday, 23 January 1890.

metadata

No. 844 (Brieven 1990 845, Complete Letters GAC 39)
From: Paul Gauguin
To: Vincent van Gogh
Date: Le Pouldu, Wednesday, 22 or Thursday, 23 January 1890

Source status

Original manuscript

Location

Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. no. b871 V/1962

Date

In letter 846 of 31 January, Van Gogh reports that he has received a letter from Gauguin. This must have been the present letter, as emerges from letter 850 of 1 February. Gauguin responds to what Van Gogh must have written about his visit to Arles, which had taken place on 18 or 19 January (see letter 841). Gauguin remarks that Le Pouldu is now experiencing ‘spring tide storms’ (ll. 73-74). The spring flood tide took place on 22 and 23 January (Service hydrographique et océanographique de la marine, Brest). For this reason we have dated the present letter to Wednesday, 22 or Thursday, 23 January 1890.

Ongoing topic

Entry for the Les Vingt exhibition in Brussels (792)

original text

1r:1

Mon cher Vincent

Merci de votre lettre et de vos propositions projetées; elles m’ont donné beaucoup à réflechir et je vous avoue que je trouve la vie ensemble possible, très possible mais avec beaucoup de précautions. Votre état maladif qui n’est pas encore tout à fait guéri demande du calme et beaucoup de ménagements. Vous dites vous-même que lorsque vous allez à Arles des souvenirs vous agitent.– Ne craignez-vous pas que je ne sois aussi une cause semblable.– En tous cas il ne me paraîtrait pas prudent de s’embarquer dans une ville où vous trouviez isolement et par suite manque de soins immédiats au cas où vous retomberiez – 1r:2 alors je cherche l’endroit le plus propice.– Nous avons causé de celà avec de Haama (un homme tout à fait serieux) et je trouve qu’Anvers serait tout à fait l’affaire.–

Parceque la vie est aussi bon marché que dans un trou de Province.–

Ensuite parcequ’il y a des musées qui ne sont pas à dédaigner pour des peintres.– Puis on peut là travailler pour la vente.–

Pourquoi ne fonderions-nous pas un atelier en mon nom; avec quelques relations, notre nom un peu connu par les Vingtistes,1 ce serait chose possible, et si peu que l’on fasse on fait toujours un pas profitable.– À mon avis l’impressionisme ne sera vraiement 1v:3 bien à sa place en France que retour de l’étranger. C’est là où on le raisonne, l’accueille le mieux donc c’est là qu’il faut travailler. Vous serez deux hollandais, c’est à dire du pays quoiqu’Anvers soit belge.

Dernièrement on a fait à Copenhague une exposition de moi avec des oeuvres qu’on a refusées autrefois comme je vous l’ai raconté.2 Eh bien elle a eu beaucoup de succès.– C’est un indice que le 1^er travail que j’avais fait avait son grain qui germait lentement.–

De même à Anvers, en se remuant, 3 gaillards de talent et solides dans leur conviction, on fera un pas. Et pourquoi, un peu plus tard si celà marche un peu, ne pas faire 1v:4 une petite succursale de votre frère en tant que vente. Votre frère pourrait vous prêter quelques toiles d’autres artistes et avec cette goutte d’eau creuser la roche.–3

Voilà mon cher Vincent, grosso modo mon opinion sur votre projet. Répondez-moi là dessus votre opinion franche.– En tous cas tout celà est bien nuageux puisque je poursuis à outrance mon projet du Tonkin.–4

En ce moment nous avons des orages de grande marée qui nous retiennent à l’atelier et c’est bien triste.–

Amicalement

T. à V.

P. Gauguin

Le Bonjour de de Haam.

translation

1r:1

My dear Vincent

Thanks for your letter and for your projected proposals, they gave me a lot to think about, and I admit that I consider life together possible, very possible, but with many precautions. Your state of ill-health, which isn’t yet completely cured, requires calm and a lot of careful handling. You say yourself that memories disturb you when you go to Arles. Do you not fear that I may also be a similar cause? In any event, it wouldn’t seem prudent to me to start out in a town where you’d find yourself isolated and consequently lack immediate care should you relapse – 1r:2 so I’m looking for the most propitious place. We’ve chatted about this with De Haan (a completely serious man), and I consider that Antwerp would completely fit the bill.

Because life is as cheap as in some provincial hole.

Next, because there are museums which aren’t to be sneered at for painters. Then one can work for sale there.

Why shouldn’t we found a studio in my name; with a few connections, with our names a little known through the Vingtistes1 it would be possible, and however little one does one is still making a profitable step. In my opinion, Impressionism won’t really 1v:3 find its place in France until it’s back from abroad. It’s there where one reasons about it best and gives it the warmest welcome, so it’s there that one must work. You will be two Dutchmen, that’s to say from the country, although Antwerp is Belgian.

There’s been an exhibition of mine in Copenhagen recently with works that were previously refused, as I told you.2 Well it was very successful. It’s an indication that the 1st work I did was bearing fruit after germinating slowly.

In the same way in Antwerp, by bestirring ourselves, 3 talented fellows, firm in their beliefs, we’ll take a step forward. And a little later, if it works out a bit, why not make 1v:4 a small branch of your brother’s in terms of selling. Your brother could lend you a few canvases by other artists, and with this drop of water hollow out the rock.3

There you have it, my dear Vincent, broadly speaking my opinion on your project. Answer me with your frank opinion about it. In any event, all of this is very cloudy, since I’m pursuing my Tonkin project vigorously.4

At the moment we have spring tide storms that are keeping us in the studio, and it’s very sad.

Best wishes.

Ever yours,

P. Gauguin

Regards from De Haan.

notes

a. Read: ‘Haan’.

1. In 1889 Gauguin had shown twelve works at the exhibition of Les Vingt. In 1890 Van Gogh exhibited six paintings.

2. Gauguin is referring to the exhibition of French and Scandinavian Impressionists, held by the Kunstforeningen (The Society of the Friends of Art) in Copenhagen from 31 October to 11 November 1889. Several of Gauguin’s early works were on display, as well as paintings by Manet, Degas, Cézanne, Pissarro, Sisley and Guillaumin from Gauguin’s collection, which he had left with his wife in Copenhagen. See Gauguin lettres 1983, p. 301.

The works that had been ‘refused’ is a reference to a small exhibition of Gauguin’s work held at the beginning of May 1885 at the Kunstforeningen. According to Gauguin, the exhibition was closed after five days by order of the Academy, and the press was forbidden to write about it. Exactly what happened is, however, unclear. See Correspondance Gauguin 1984, pp. 105, 413-414 (n. 173).

3. This is derived from a Latin saying handed down in many variants, of which the best known is ‘Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed sepe cadendo’. See Walther 1963-1967, vol. 2, pp. 263-264, nos. 10505-10509.

4. Regarding Gauguin’s plan to go to Tonkin, see letter 840, n. 3.