Amice Rappard,
Is your health still improving? I am eager for news from
you. The other day I bought twenty-one volumes of the
Graphic, namely 1870-1880. What do you think of that? I
hope to receive them this week. I got them very cheap, you
understand, or else I couldn't have afforded it. But I heard
that they were for sale, and I strongly recommended them to
someone who is also interested in them.
I have been working hard since your illness on
black-and-white drawings, and I hope to learn a few more things
about the forces of black and white from these Graphics.
I wish we could have a talk again, for, my dear fellow, there
is such a lot to do!
What I have been working at especially of late is heads -
heads of the people 1 - fishermen's heads
with sou'westers, among other things.
As soon as I have looked through the Graphics, I
shall write you again, and then in more detail. Of course I
shall get a lot of duplicates in this way.
Now you will oblige me greatly by giving me more particulars
about the lot you bought - I mean not only by telling me
whether there are duplicates, but also what interesting prints
you have found in general.
I have found a “Head of a Little Girl” by Percy
Macquoid which is splendid; it is a wood engraving after a
picture of his. Other beautiful sheets that I have found
are, to mention only some of them:
B. Constant
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“Sick Fellahs on the Bank of the Nile”
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Julien Dupré
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“Female Cowherd”
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Smith
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“A Street in South Lambeth”
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Ridley
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“Boat Race”
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Robinson
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“ “
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Green
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“Street in Whitechapel”
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Régamey
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“Prison in New York”
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Thulstrup
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“Workroom in Sailors' Hospital or
Home”
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Abbey
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“Winter Girl”
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“
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“Peter Stuyvesandt”
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Reinhardt
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“Fishermen”
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Barnard
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Six sheets
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Ed. Frère
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“Woodgatherers”
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Buckmann
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“Renkeys on Hampstead Heath”
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“
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“Gathering Poppies”
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Waller
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“Tip Girls” (Miners)
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I did not get these Graphics without trouble. For instance,
the Jew I bought them from forced me to do two portraits of his
father and mother (i.e. two of each!)
But isn't it a lucky find!
But it's so funny that they're already my property and that
I haven't even seen them. The fact is that they are stored in
an auction room together with a big lot of books, but the Jew
will get them out this week.
Among the books there is Gavarni's La Mascarade Humaine,
which I have, but what about you? And the Jew has a lot of
other things besides, some of them probably good.
Well, more soon; I hope your recovery is progressing
steadily - in haste!
Ever yours, Vincent
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Vincent wrote this in English.
At this time, Vincent was 29 year oldSource: Vincent van Gogh. Letter to Anthon van Rappard. Written c. 15 January 1883 in The Hague. Translated by Mrs. Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, edited by Robert Harrison, number R22. URL: https://www.webexhibits.org/vangogh/letter/12/R22.htm.
This letter may be freely used, in accordance with the terms of this site.
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