Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (25 or 26 July 1883) ... oftener if you can, that must be
possible. I must go on with my work, but a feeling of
prostration overwhelms me again and again - a general
faintness, a reaction after exertion, which keeps returning,
and which I must try to overcome, otherwise it will get
worse.
I wouldn't say this to De Bock or anyone - but I trust you
enough to tell you, it isn't a question of losing courage or
giving up, but of having spent more strength than could be
spared, and of being more or less exhausted. All in all, the
main thing is that a good understanding remains between us and
that we keep our friendship warm. If bad luck comes, we'll
brave it, but, brother, let's stick faithfully together. I am
the gainer in all respects, for without you I shouldn't have
been able to get as far as I have now. You don't gain anything
by it, except the feeling of helping somebody to a career who
would otherwise be without one.
And who knows what we may achieve together for the
future?
Getting...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (early July 1885) ... three-quarters of it - the children.
I must go out and work - I didn't want to put off writing
any longer; I am dog-tired every day because I have to go far,
far across the heath!
I have also done some more figures.
I am very sorry to hear what you said about the money, that
you will be very hard up yourself.
Painting is sometimes so damned expensive, and especially
nowadays, it is so necessary to follow one's own idea,
coûte que coûte.
“Il nous faut un art de force vive” [What we
want is an art with live vigour], Raffaelli says, and in order
to reach that aim in figure drawing, it costs a lot of trouble
to find models.
The time has past - and I don't want it back - when it was
enough for a figure to be academically, conventionally correct,
or rather, though many still ask for this, a reaction is
setting in - and I hope it will make some stir. The artists
call for character, well - the public will do the same.
I assure you...
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (9 April 1888) ... like striking while the iron is hot.
I shall be all in when the orchards are over, for they are
size 25 and 30 and 20 canvases. We should not have too many of
them, even if I could knock off twice as many. It seems to me
that this may really break the ice in Holland. Mauve's death
was a terrible blow to me. You will see that the pink peach
trees were painted with a certain passion.
I must also have a starry night with cypresses, or perhaps
above all, a field of ripe corn; there are some wonderful
nights here. I am in a continual fever of work.
I'm very curious to know what the result will be at the end
of a year.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 3 May 1888) ... and
the prostration of it! Work in these magnificent natural
surroundings has restored my morale, but even now some efforts
are too much for me: my strength fails me. And that was why,
when I wrote you the other day, I said that if you left the
Goupils, you would feel healthier in mind, but the cure would
be very painful. Whereas one does not feel the disease
itself.
Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 20 May 1888) ... to do with the
feeling of collapse? Remember how last winter I was stupefied
to the point of being absolutely incapable of doing anything at
all, except a little painting, although I was not taking any
iodide of potassium. So if I were you, I should have it out
with Rivet if Gruby tells you not to take any. I am sure that
in any case you mean to keep on being friends with both.
I often think of Gruby here and now, and I am
completely well, but it is having pure air and warmth that
makes it possible. In all that racket and bad air of Paris,
Rivet takes things as they are, without trying to create a
paradise, and without in any way trying to make us perfect. But
he forges a cuirass, or rather he hardens one against illness,
and keeps up one's morale. I do believe, by making light of the
disease one has got. If only you could have one year of life in
the country and with nature just now, it would make Gruby's
cure much easier. I expect he will make you promise...
