| | 16 letters relate to attitude - death... | Excerpt length: shorter longer | |
| Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(6 August 1888)
... since
Mother seemed to be expecting you. The best way to tackle a
death is to swallow the image of the illustrious dead, whatever
he was, as the best man in the best of all possible worlds,
where everything is always for the best. Which not being
contested, and consequently incontestable, it is doubtless
allowable for us to return afterwards to our own affairs. I am
glad that our brother Cor has grown bigger and stronger than
the rest of us. And he must be stupid if he does not get
married, for he has nothing but that and his hands. With that
and his hands, and that and what he knows of machinery, I for
one would like to be in his shoes, if I had any desire at all
to be anyone else.
And meanwhile I am in my own hide, and my hide within the
cog-wheels of the Fine Arts, like corn between the
mill-stones.
Did I tell you that I had sent the drawings to friend
Russell? At the moment I am doing practically the same ones
again for you, there will be twelve likewise. You will... | Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(3 February 1889)
... and I don't play the
false prophet.
Indeed, illness or death holds no terror for me, but happily
for us, ambition is not compatible with the callings we follow.
There are so many people in all classes of society, from the
highest to the lowest, who believe that, anyway.
But why are you thinking about your marriage contract and
the possibility of dying just now? Wouldn't it be better simply
to run your woman through instead? After all, that's normal
practice in the North, and it's not for me to say that
practices in the North are no good.
It'll all come all right in the end, believe me.
But I, without a penny to my name, I still say that when it
comes down to it, money is one kind of currency and painting is
another. And I am even ready to send you a consignment along
the lines mentioned in previous letters. And it will get
better. If my strength returns.
So, if Gauguin, who is completely infatuated with my
sunflowers , takes these two pictures, I should just... |
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