Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh (c. 10 December 1889) ... - and be sure that I think of you
often, here where I spend my days more withdrawn into myself
than now and then seems to me desirable.
Article by M. J. Brusse (May 26 1914) ... well, I thought them just trash.... laughable. And
to tell the honest truth, I was never able to see through him.
I was never able to discover what he was really after.... The
only thing I know is that he avoided the other boys as much as
possible; he always wanted to be alone.
“ `Van Gogh, you ought to eat.' How often I used to
say this to him.
“But no. `I am not in want of any food; eating is a
luxury.'
“On the other hand, the others told me that during his
walks he would buy a roll, munching it in the streets. This
really mortified us - as if we didn't give him enough to eat!
But after all, he was a bit like the Wandering Jew. And if they
are buying those drawings of his now, all I can say is, One
folly buys the other....
“ `Mind my wallpaper; you ruin everything with your
nails.' For he hammered away like mad. But nothing could
influence him - not even the scoldings he got from my wife for
staying away all through Sunday... on the...
