van Gogh's letters - unabridged and annotated
 
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18721891

 18 letters relate to attitude - people...Excerpt length: shorter longer  
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(3 January 1883)
... more, and then we can talk about the future. You know well enough how unfit I am to cope with either dealers or art lovers, and how contrary it is to my nature. I should like it so much if we could always continue as we are now, but it often makes me sad to think that I must always be a burden to you. But who knows, in time you may be able to find someone who takes an interest in my work, who will take from your shoulders the burden which you took upon yourself at the most difficult time. This can only happen when it is quite evident that my work is serious, when it speaks more clearly for itself than it does now. I myself am too fond of a very simple life to wish to change it, but later on, in order to do greater things, I shall have greater expenses, too. I think I shall always work with a model - always and always. And I must try to arrange matters so that the whole burden doesn't always fall on you. This is only a beginning - later you will get better things from me,...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(c. 20-24 February 1883)
... more readily than I had expected. If one had to deal with people only inside the studio! But personally I cannot get on well with people outside of it, and cannot get them to do anything. I've been drawing a few figures, rather large-size, bust or half-length, which, with a few others I already had, will become a kind of decoration for the hall and stairs, though they are really nothing but ordinary studies. So you can see from all this that I have thrown myself headlong into it again, in order to get new ideas. For instance, in Voorburg, when I went with him to pick out that wood, I saw beautiful things of workmen in a shed, and digging a cellar, and laying the foundation of a house. Then I thought again of the description you once gave me of those workmen in Montmartre when you witnessed an accident in a stone quarry. You know, I already had something in front of the windows, namely some canvas stretched on rods. This can be used for something else now,...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(c. 15 May 1884)
... in her Bath chair to see my new studio. Recently I have been getting on better with people here than I did at first, which is of great importance to me, for one decidedly needs some distraction, and if one feels too lonely, the work always suffers from it; however, perhaps one must be prepared for it not to last. But I feel quite optimistic about it, it seems to me that in general the people in Nuenen are better than those in Etten or Helvoirt; there is more sincerity here, at least that is my impression after having been here for some time. It is true the people here look at things from a clergyman's point of view, but in such a way that I, for my part, don't feel any scruple in putting up with it. And the Brabant of one's dreams, reality almost comes very near it sometimes. I admit that my original intention of settling in Brabant, which came to naught, again has a strong attraction for me. But knowing how such a plan can fail, we must wait and see whether ...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(c. 7 December 1884)
... received specially for St. Nicholas. I will begin by telling you that your letter greatly amazed me - seeing that there have been no differences of any importance between Father, Mother and myself, and as to the Begemann ladies, they looked in on Father and Mother only the other day in considerable numbers - and they have done so not just once but many times. Whether they drop in quite as frequently as formerly or less frequently is something I cannot see has anything to do with me, nor am I interested in it. That I decidedly disapproved of their attitude, and that I shall go on decidedly disapproving of it, is something I told them once - and I did not mince words - without returning to the subject. But this has nothing to do with their visiting our house or not, which is something that concerns Father and Mother and themselves - and not me. I have always behaved courteously towards all the members of the family, and I did not start the trouble,...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Anthon van Rappard
(2nd half June 1885)
... this as far as certain others are concerned. I let people say of me and think of me whatever they like and treat me just as they like - that is their business; I am not obligated to listen to their everlasting drivel. My parents, my teachers, Messrs. Goupil & Co., and furthermore all kinds of friends and acquaintances have said so many unpleasant things to me for my own good and with the best intentions that in the end the burden has become a little too heavy for me; and since I let people talk without paying any attention to it, I have not fallen off, my friend - this much I think I know for sure. In reply to your remarks, however, this. It is a fact that your work is good; but this does not mean, amice, that you are always right in thinking that there are no other ways and methods of arriving at something good and sound than yours; I should like very much to talk things over with you - but please don't gather from this that it would mean consulting you...

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