Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (19 or 20 February 1886) ... to profit from
working at Cormon's.
Then my health, I do not eat when I'm working outdoors, and
I cannot get well. For I frequently relapse; my health is far
from being what it ought to be.
Now as to the expenses, I believe it will be pretty much the
same. So just think it over again - we must act, for we must
put our shoulders to the wheel.
All the time I have been here, I have had a comrade, an old
Frenchman, and I have painted his portrait, which Verlat
approved of, and which you will see. The winter was even worse
for him than for me, and the poor devil is much worse off than
I am because his age makes it very critical.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (1 May 1888) ... as bad here, but I drink very little of it.
And so it comes about that by eating hardly any solid
food and hardly drinking I am pretty weak, but my blood is getting healthier instead of
getting poisoned. Once again, it's patience I need to see me through, and perseverance.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 13 July 1888) ... of this constant mistral, not to mention that I have
spent whole days outside with a little bread and milk, since it
was too far to go back to the town every once in a while.
I have already said more than once how much the Camargue and
the Crau, except for the difference in colour and in the
clearness of the atmosphere, remind me of the old Holland of
Ruysdael's time. I think that these two I've spoken of, the
flat countryside covered with vines and stubble fields, seen
from a height, will give you an idea of it.
Believe me I am tired out by these drawings. I have begun a
painting as well, but there is no way of doing it with the
mistral blowing - there's absolutely nothing doing.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (8 October 1888) ... - not sent)
My dear Theo,
Thanks for your letter, but I have had a very
thin time of it these days, as my money ran out on Thursday, so it was a
damnably long time till Monday noon. These four days I have
lived mainly on 23 cups of coffee, with bread which I still
have to pay for. It's not your fault, it's mine if it's
anyone's. Because I was wild to see my pictures in frames, and
I had ordered too many for my budget, seeing that the month's
rent and the charwoman also had to be paid. And even today is
going to drain me dry,
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (24 October 1888) ... to prepare the
canvas ourselves. For a while I had a
feeling that I was going to be ill, but Gauguin's arrival has so taken my mind off it
that I'm sure it will pass. I must not neglect my food for a
time, and that is all, absolutely all there is to it.
And after a time you will have some work again.
Gauguin brought a magnificent canvas, which he has exchanged
with Bernard, Breton women in a green field, white, black,
green, and a note of red, and the dull flesh tints. After all,
we must all be of good cheer.
I believe that the time will come when I too shall sell, but
I am so far behind with you, and while I go on spending, I
bring nothing in. Sometimes the thought of it saddens me.
I am very glad of what you write, that one of the Dutchmen
is coming to stay with you, so that you will not be alone any
more, and it's all right, absolutely all right, especially
since the winter will soon be here.
And now I am in a hurry and must go out and...
