| | 24 letters relate to health - gastrointestinal... | Excerpt length: shorter longer | |
| Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(early February 1886)
... another reason, and I didn't
know that my stomach had deteriorated to such a degree. It is
stupid if you will, but sometimes one has to choose between two
evils, and is trapped on both sides.
During the last month it began to trouble me a great deal; I
began to cough continually too, and to expectorate a grayish
phlegm, etc., so that I began to get uneasy. But we will try to
redress it.
You see I am not stronger than other people in that if I
neglected myself too much, it would be the same with me as with
so many painters (so very many if one thinks it
over), I should drop dead, or worse still - become insane or an
idiot.
This is a fact, and the question is to steer a clear course
between the various cliffs, and even if one gets damaged, to
try to keep the ship afloat.
I know that Delacroix said he had learned the secret of
painting: “Lorsqu'il n'avait plus ni dents ni
souffle.” [When he had neither teeth nor breath left.]
... | Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(20-28 February 1886)
... on drawing
from the casts for a time.
I guess my health is improving a little, at least in that I
can digest my food a little better. But it always remains
unsteady, and it varies from one day to the next. I have
finished another drawing from a cast, and since I wrote you
that the teacher had let me know indirectly that it had not
been his intention to offend me, there has been no further
trouble between us, and he even said that today's drawing
hardly needed any correction of the proportions, and none at
all of the tone. So I almost dare to hope that I shall also
manage to get along with Cormon, whatever he may be like, and
that makes me long the more to be there. Well, if I may have
some luck with my health, I hope to make some progress this
year.
I also continue to believe that I shall be able to find some
work, though I have not been lucky in that respect.
But my time has been taken up almost completely by my work
at the academy.
From what I hear,... | Letters from Theo van Gogh to his Family
(1885 - 1887)
... for he had lost almost all
his teeth through the bad condition of his stomach. The doctor
says that he has now quite recovered.
Theo to mother
July 1886
He is progressing tremendously in his work and this is
proved by the fact that he is becoming successful. He has not
yet sold paintings for money, but is exchanging his work for
other pictures. In that way we obtain a fine collection, which,
of course, also has a certain value. There is a picture dealer
who has now taken four of his paintings and has promised to
arrange for an exhibition of his work next year. He is mainly
painting flowers - with the object to put a more lively colour
into his next set of pictures. He is also more cheerful than in
the past and people here like him. To give you proof: hardly a
day passes that he is not asked to go to the studios of
well-known painters, or they come to see him. He also has
acquaintances who give him a bunch of flowers every week which
may serve him... | Lettre de Vincent van Gogh à Theo van Gogh
(c. 14 March 1888)
... ma part. Est ce que ta santé est bien ?
pour ce qui est
de la mienne cela va mieux, seulement c'est une vraie corvée de manger, vu que
j'ai de la fièvre et pas d'appétit, mais cela n'est donc que passager
et affaire de patience.
J'ai de la compagnie le soir, puisque le jeune peintre Danois,
qui est ici, est très bien; son travail est sec, correct et
timide, mais je ne déteste pas cela lorsque l'individu est jeune
et intelligent. Il a dans le temps commencé des études de médecine; il connaît
les livres de Zola, de Goncourt, Guy de Maupassant, et il a
assez d'argent pour se la couler douce. Avec cela un désir très sérieux de
faire autre chose que ce qu'il fait actuellement.
Je crois qu'il ferait bien de différer son retour dans son pays d'un
an ou de revenir après une courte visite à ses concitoyens.
Mais, mon cher frère, tu sais je me sens au Japon - je ne te
dis que cela et encore je n'ai... | Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh
(c. 14 March 1888)
... Remember me kindly to Koning. Are you well? I am better
myself, except that eating is a real ordeal, since I have a touch
of fever and no appetite, but it's only a question of time and
patience.
I have company in the evening, for the young Danish painter
who is here is a decent soul: his work is dry, correct and
timid, but I do not object to that when the painter is young
and intelligent. He originally began studying medicine: he knows
Zola, de Goncourt, Guy de Maupassant, and he has
enough money to do himself well. And with all this, a very
genuine desire to do very different work than what he is
producing now.
I think he would be wise to delay his return home for a
year, or to come back here after a short visit to his
friends.
But, my dear brother, you know that I feel as though I am in Japan - I
say no more than that, and I still haven't seen anything in its
usual splendour yet.
That's why (even though I'm vexed that just now expenses
are heavy... |
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