Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 21 December 1882) ... on the drawings
is the main thing.
As to lithography, as I have assisted a few times at the
printing and the preparation of the stone, I think I shall try
to make some lithographs without having recourse to paper, etc.
- simply by drawing on the stone itself. For much as I like
those drawings in Harper's Christmas Number or in Vie Moderne,
still there is always something mechanical in them, something
of a photograph or photogravure, and I prefer an ordinary
lithograph by Daumier or Gavarni or Lemud. Well, a firm hand
for drawing is needed for one as well as for the other, that's
the main thing.
I am afraid that a new process is one of those things which
cannot quite satisfy one, that it is in fact rather too smooth.
I mean that an ordinary etching, an ordinary wood engraving, or
an ordinary lithograph has a charm which cannot be replaced by
anything mechanical.
The same can be said of engraving - the photogravure
reproduction of the “Sewing Class” by Israëls,
...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (31 and 2 Dec-Jan 1882) ... before yesterday, yesterday and today.
When I made the lithographs, it struck me that the
lithographic crayon was very pleasant material, and l thought,
I'll make drawings with it.
However, there is one drawback which you will understand -
as it is greasy, it cannot be erased in the usual way; working
with it on paper, one even loses the only thing with which one
can erase on the stone itself, namely the scraper - which
cannot be used strongly enough on the paper because it cuts
through it.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 11 January 1883) ... I assure you. I did some more of him. Today I drew one with
lithographic crayon. Then I threw a pail of water on the
drawing, and in that moistness I began to model with pencil. If
it succeeds, one gets very delicate tones; but it is a
dangerous method, which may turn out badly. But if it succeeds,
the result is quite “non ébarbé” -
delicate tones of black which most resemble an etching. I also
did a woman's head this way, standing out against the light, so
the whole is in tone, with highlights on the profile, etc.Did you receive the second roll with five heads sent
from here, I think, on the fifth or sixth of January? It was
the third roll mailed to you.
When you have looked at them for some time, I think you will
find the same thing in them as in the first two, for there
must be something of nature in them, as I literally
wrested them from nature and worked after the model from
beginning to end. I am very anxious to show you the studies...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (3 February 1883) ... here on the
Schenkweg; but it's rotten. I also drew a few figures with
crayon which I think are better.
Not just with crayon, but the whole thing sponged, and the
shadows softened, the lights intensified.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Anthon van Rappard (4 February 1883) ... cutting his bread is a failure [F 1663, JH 272]. When I
transferred it to the stone the upper half got all blurred - I
have been able to remedy the worst part with the scraper. Yet
you will see that there are things in it which prove one can
work vigorously with this process and express the nature of
materials, as for instance the basket, the trousers and the
muddy boots. And though at first I thought it a sorry abortion,
I have become somewhat reconciled to it since then, and if I
were to start over again, I should do it in the same vigorous
way - with a background.
I remember reading in Herkomer's biography 3 how
in his early days (when that incident with the rough sketch of
“Sunday at Chelsea Hospital” occurred) he did his
utmost to find among the artists of that time men who would be
willing to do types from the people too. Then he found Gregory,
who started out by doing sketches of the Franco-German War
(“Paris under the Red Flag” - I did not know...