1. Theo turned 33 on 1 May. Vincent had been withdrawn for a long time. On 27 April 1890, Theo wrote to Mien Bonger, Jo’s sister: ‘The poor fellow is still ill. The doctor recently wrote that for weeks now he’s been sitting with his head in his hands and if one speaks to him, he makes signs that he wants to be alone. Isn’t it terrible?’ (FR b4305).

2. This last (seventh) consignment from Saint-Rémy contained, in addition to the works mentioned by Van Gogh (see nn. 3-8), the following works, listed by Theo when he confirmed receipt of the consignment in letter 867: Charles-Elzéard Trabuc (F 629 / JH 1774 ), Portrait of a one-eyed man (F 532 / JH 1650 ) and Almond blossom (F 671 / JH 1891 ). Van Gogh must also have sent at this time Olive grove with two olive pickers (F 587 / JH 1853 ) and Road-menders in a lane with massive plane trees (F 658 / JH 1861 ), which he had withheld from the previous consignment (see letter 834).

3. The paintings after prints by Millet, Diggers (after Millet) (F 648 / JH 1833 ) and Evening (after Millet) (F 647 /JH 1834 ), had been in the previous batch of paintings sent to Theo (see letter 834). Vincent probably sent at this time the rest of the Millet copies, i.e. The end of the day (after Millet) (F 649 / JH 1835 ), Morning: going out to work (after Millet) (F 684 / JH 1880 ), Noon: rest (after Millet) (F 686 / JH 1881 ), Reaper (after Millet) (F 687 / JH 1782 ), Reaper with a scythe (after Millet) (F 688 / JH 1783 ), Woman binding sheaves (after Millet) (F 700 / JH 1781 ), Woman with a rake (after Millet) (F 698 / JH 1789 ), Sheaf binder (after Millet) (F 693 / JH 1785 ), Woman bruising flax (after Millet) (F 697 / JH 1788 ), Thresher (after Millet) (F 692 / JH 1784 ), Sheepshearers (after Millet) (F 634 / JH 1787 ), Woman spinning (after Millet) (F 696 / JH 1786 ), Woodcutter (after Millet) (F 670 / JH 1886 ), Snow-covered field with a plough and harrow (after Millet) (F 632 / JH 1882 ), The first steps (after Millet) (F 668 / JH 1883 ), Sower (after Millet) (F 690 / JH 1837 ) and Sower (after Millet) (F 689 / JH 1836 ).

4. Only Vincent’s elder sister Anna received at some point a copy after Millet: Woman spinning (after Millet) (F 696 / JH 1786 ).

5. Van Gogh had two paintings of ‘olive trees with a pink sky’: Women picking olives (F 656 / JH 1870 ) and Women picking olives (F 654 / JH 1868 ). Considering that both were intended for Theo, he must have sent both of them. The third version, intended for his mother and Willemien, had already been sent to Theo (see letter 834).

6. ‘The mountains’ must refer to Ravine (F 661 / JH 1871 ). It emerges from letter 865 that he included it in this consignment.

7. Olive trees (F 710 / JH 1856 ).

8. Van Gogh had four versions of Marie Ginoux (‘The Arlésienne’); the fifth had been lost during his visit to Arles (see letter 857, n. 1). He must have sent at least three to Theo, because letter 877 reveals that in Auvers he still had one himself (though he could have taken it along from Paris). Theo kept the portrait of the Arlésienne in pink clothing (F 543 / JH 1895 ); see letters 877 and 879. F 541 / JH 1893 came into the possession of Albert Aurier, presumably as a present from Vincent or Theo. See cat. Otterlo 2003, pp. 341-343. That Gauguin did in fact receive a version of the Arlésienne emerges from RM23 and the correspondence between Gauguin and Jo van Gogh-Bonger from March-May 1894. See Gauguin lettres 1983, pp. 330-341 (GAC 43-45). Provenance research has shown that Gauguin received F 542 / JH 1894 , and that F 540 / JH 1892 came into the possession of Bernard. See Feilchenfeldt 2005, pp. 118-119.

9. Read: ‘Aurier’. The work in question is Cypresses (F 620 / JH 1748 ). Cf. cat. Otterlo 2003, pp. 296-300.

10. A fitch brush is a thin brush used for very fine brushwork.

11. In letter 864 Van Gogh describes a ‘reminiscence of Brabant’ with cottages with mossy roofs. Given the subject and the format, ‘reminiscences of the north’ must refer here to Cottages at sunset (‘Reminiscence of Brabant’) (F 675 / JH 1921 , 29 x 36.5 cm) and Cottages at sunset (‘Reminiscence of Brabant’) (F 673 / JH 1919 , 45.5 x 43 cm). Field with women lifting turnips (F 695 / JH 1923 ), measuring 50 x 64 cm, is a bit bigger than the above-mentioned works; moreover, Van Gogh’s description of it in letter 864 implies that it was not a ‘reminiscence of the north’. This presumably holds true for the smaller Diggers (F 694 / JH 1922), the subject of which is similar to that of F 695.

12. This was The garden of the asylum with dandelions and tree-trunks (F 676 / JH 1970 ), which Van Gogh describes in more detail in letter 864.

13. For Peyron’s letter to Theo, see letter 862, n. 2.

14. For Aurier’s article ‘Les isolés: Vincent van Gogh’, see letter 845, n. 2.

15. Almond blossom (F 671 / JH 1891 ).

a. Read: ‘puisse’.

16. The potato eaters (F 82 / JH 764 ).

17. Regarding the discoloration of The potato eaters , see exhib. cat. Amsterdam 1993, p. 54.

18. This refers to drawings of gleaners and diggers from Nuenen, which Van Gogh had taken with him to Paris.

19. The old church tower at Nuenen (‘The peasants’ churchyard’) (F 84 / JH 772 ).

20. The cottage (F 83 / JH 777 ).