Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (28 October 1883) ... paint - must put his shoulder to
the wheel. If the woman came, of course she would have to paint
too.
Everybody would have to paint here - the wife of one of the
Van Eycks also had to do it. And I tell you that the people
don't seem disagreeable or intriguing. There is a kind of
benevolence in this place, and I think you can do exactly what
you think best. There is a surprisingly youthful atmosphere in
existence here.
One should begin by saying with all possible courage,
gaiety, enthusiasm, I know none of us can do a thing, but for
all that, we are painters. Our wanting in itself means
action. This is what I believe should be the main
idea. We are alive - if we do not work “comme plusieurs
nègres,” we shall die of want, and we shall cut a
most ridiculous figure. However, we happen to abhor this
mightily - because of that same thing which I call surprising
youthfulness - and in addition, a seriousness that is damned
serious.
That...y...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (26 November 1883) ... Macbeth-like
in my relations with this woman. But you are confronted with a
personality who has the power to charm, and this charm may be
used fatally in the direction of worldly ambition.
As far as I am concerned, because the woman I was with is a
thoroughly unhappy person, and so heavily burdened with a
tainted past, two children, poverty, etc., etc., that, even if
I found no good in her, I should not want to sever all ties,
and I should not stop seeing her to please anybody, nor
speaking to her nor writing to her, nor sending her a little
money when I happen to have it. Let people think and say what
they like about it, all right, I have long ceased to take it
ill of them.
But look here, in your case there might exist the
influence of a charm that has the power to benumb certain
strings of the heart, the sense of right and wrong. Once more I
repeat, I do not say this is the case, I repeat, I am not even
asking if it is so; I only mean it as a hint, and having given
...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (1 December 1883) ... inexplicable until I knew what was the matter. With
regard to Marie, I had an answer before I received your letter,
simply because I remembered what you wrote in the past about
your meeting her, and I thought, This cannot but be all
right, there can be nothing wrong with it. So my letter on
the subject ought to be taken to mean, Brother, without any
warning you seem to have left me out of things; if you
did this on purpose I should think it a betrayal, but I
cannot believe it, so “explain it to me” -
that is, approximately; there was no other motive. And as for
Lady Macbeth, you have rightly interpreted my meaning, it being
no more than a general hint, and not even a question,
but only meant to let you feel either it must be like
this, or it is a misunderstanding.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 1 March 1884) ... them if you
come here in the spring.
What you write about Marie is quite understandable - if a
woman isn't all milk-and-water, I can well imagine her not
showing much enthusiasm for moping about in the company of
cantankerous fathers as well as spiritual sisters. In any
event, a woman no less than a man would feel sorely tempted to
end the stagnation quand même [at all costs] - stagnation
which may start out as splendid resignation, but which, alas,
one will generally be made to regret as soon as one feels one
is going freeze solid in the end. Once I read a passage by
Daudet about spiritual women. “Ces deux visages se
regardèrent - elles échangèrent un regard
méchant froid fermé - qu'a-t-il? Toujours la
même chose - elle.” [Those two faces looked at each
other - they exchanged a spiteful, cold, secretive glance -
what's the matter with her? Always the same thing - she is.]
There you have it, that singular look of Pharisees...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 9 March 1884) ... you at least show them to
somebody.
As to the matter you wrote me about, I think in such a case,
when one sees no possibility of carrying it through, there is
one thing one must not forget.
That is, if the woman has loved you, has really cared for
you, and you for her, this period of love is a piece of good
fortune in life.
She, the woman, may be beautiful or plain, young or old,
better or worse, that affects it only indirectly. The only
thing that matters is that you have loved each other. On
parting - don't smother it or try to forget it - the only cliff
to be avoided then is that of self-righteousness, one
must not pretend then that the woman is under great obligations
to the man, one must part as if one were under an obligation
oneself - that is, in my opinion, more courteous and humane -
perhaps that is your opinion too. Love always brings
difficulties, that is true, but the good side of it is that it
gives energy.
Of myself I believe - and I think...
