The Letters of a Post-Impressionist / Being the Familiar Correspondence of Vincent Van Gogh

NOTES

{A} page 39. The translation of the original French would be: “without having recourse to the old dodges and delusions of intriguers” (aux vieux trucs et trompe-l’oeil d’intrigants).{B} p. 44. The French is boutons d’or (buttercups). The German translation has LÖwenzahn.{C} p. 45. The German is, Leute die auf Technik sehen; but my rendering is more faithful to the French original.{D} p. 51. According to the French this should be: “After many eccentricities you have succeeded in producing,” etc. The German, however, is, wirst Du dahin gelangen Sachen von Ägyptischer Ruhe, etc.{E} p. 55. The French word is bestiales, which the German translator rendered by grausame.{F} p. 55. The French is crÂne (swaggering); the German translation has elegant.{G} p. 60. The French has, your grandmother.{H} p. 61. The French is, amours faciles.{I} p. 62. The French is, senti dans son animalitÉ.{J} p. 62. From this point the original French continues, “is like the consummation of sexual love—a moment of infinity.”{K} p. 63. In his original publication of these letters in Le Mercure de France, E. Bernard inserts a note here to the effect that Van Gogh meant that Rembrandt used religious subjects only as a means of expressing philosophical ideas.{L} p. 64. The French is, peint un ange surnaturel au sourire À la Vinci.{M} p. 65. The French is, folie contagieuse.}{N} p. 66. The French is, sincÉritÉ et dÉvotion.{O} p. 68. The German translator took what I believe to be a justifiable liberty here; for the original French reads: et il sagit de souffler de son souffle tant qu’on a le souffle.{P} p. 73. The French word is renaissance.{Q} p. 74. The German translation (beim Fechten) misses the point here; for the French original is not l’escrime, but l’escrime À l’assaut.{R} p. 77. In the German translation there are no dots here to show that a passage has been omitted; as however, this passage seems to me important, I thought it advisable to give the translation of it in these notes. After the word “nature,” the French original proceeds: “in order to convert a study into a picture by arranging the colour, adding here, and simplifying there;...”{S} p. 81. E. Bernard says that this refers to a caricature by Gauguin of Van Gogh sitting on a ledge of rock drawing the sun.{T} p. 83. The French word is not talent but supÉrioritÉ.{U} p. 89. I confess that I did not understand the proper meaning of this passage, either in the French or in the German, so here it is, as it stands in the French original: Mais justement À cause de ce que c’est dans le coeur des gens qu’est aussi le coeur des affaires, il faut conquÉrir des amitiÉs ou plutÔt les ranimer.{V} p. 90. It may be of interest to painters to know that the other colours mentioned in the French original are: rose de garance, and mine orange.{W} p. 96. I may be wrong here. The German word is Axiomen, the French original is, axiomes.{X} p. 98. The French original contains simply the word sÉrÉnitÉ, which the German translator paraphrased as “the joy of living, and peace.”{Y} p. 101. The French original has, on ne s’en repent pas, in the place of “one can never cast it out.”{Z} p. 102. It is not clear whether Van Gogh meant that he opposed the firm B. and V. or that he quelled the feeling in his heart. The French original is simply: Seulement je m’y oppose.{AA} p. 104. The French original is, des Établissements pour Zouaves. On this point see also p. 23, vol. 12, of the “Mercure de France.”{BB} p. 108. The original reads: Si je me laissais embÊter par le premier venu ici, tu comprends que je ne saurais bientÔt plus oÙ donner la tÊte. The German rendering was therefore a little too free.{CC} p. 116. A passage is omitted here in the German translation, which I think is of sufficient interest to be quoted. In the French original the passage reads: Je crois que Gauguin lui-mÊme souffre beaucoup et ne peut pas se developper comme pourtant c’est en dedans de lui de pouvoir le faire.{DD} p. 116. On both occasions when in the German text I found the word Schwefelgelb, I translated it by “cadmium.” The word in the French original is simply soufre. (See also page 73.){EE} p. 122. The German word is Quadratnets, and the French original has cadre perspectif. I am not sure that my rendering gives an adequate idea of the instrument.{FF} p. 124. The French is, rhinocÉros dangereux.{GG} p. 145, “and give a helping hand,” is a somewhat free rendering, through the German, of et comme nous le ferons.{HH} p. 146. The number “28” seems to be a misprint in the German.{II} p. 147. E. Bernard, himself, leaves one to guess at what this means; for in the original French we read: Car je n’ai mÊme pas, depuis un mois trois semaines, de quoi aller ... pour 3 fr.{JJ} p. 154. In the French original there is no mention of “the south.”}

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CHISWICK PRESS: CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO.
TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON.

Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:
us in in his favour=>us in his favour {pg xvi}
ursurped the place of higher and holier aims=>usurped the place of higher and holier aims {pg xxxiv}
Gaugin=> Gauguin {x6}
Another and even more stiking example=> Another and even more striking example {pg 8}
dry withered beach leaves=> dry withered beech leaves {pg 12}
as far as as I was able to judge=>as far as I was able to judge {pg 25}
I believe it is bettter to scrape=> I believe it is better to scrape {pg 26}
simply because it it is his nature to do so=> simply because it is his nature to do so {pg 37}
in which everything was arranged with architectual method=> in which everything was arranged with architectural method {pg 59}
he would certainly not think lighty of this talent=> he would certainly not think lightly of this talent {pg 78}
is to found on the palettes of the Dutch painters=> is to be found on the palettes of the Dutch painters {pg 92}
Everywhere a cadium yellow=> Everywhere a cadmium yellow {pg 95}
small head of of the Brittany girl=> small head of the Brittany girl {pg 127}

FOOTNOTES:

[1] 1 See “Mercure de France,” vol. 48, p. 127 (Oct. 1903), Article, “Paul’ Gauguin,” by Charles Morice.

[2] “Mercure de France,” vol. 48 (Oct. 1903), p. 127.

[3] That Vincent also often felt depressed about his work may be gathered from the following passage, taken from a letter to his brother, not included in this volume: “C’est une perspective assez triste de devoir se dire que jamais la peinture que je fais n’aura une valeur quelconque.”

[4] See Emile Bernard’s preface to his publication of Van Gogh’s letters in the “Mercure’ de France,” vol. 7, p. 324.

[5] As to how he overcame his academic period, see Meier Graefe’s work, “Impressionisten” (p. 122) where the author has some interesting things to say.

[6] “Mercure de France,” vol. 48 (1903), p. 105.

[7] The italics are mine.—A. M. L.

[8] Not included in this collection of letters.

[9] I could not discover who the owner was; but the present number of the exhibit is 984F and the picture is marked “In Bruikleen” = lent.

[10] I have reasons to believe that this wonderful picture was sold by the Sonderbund people at the very time of my visit to Cologne for the sum of £450. But I was unable to discover the name of the new owner.

[11] See particularly his picture No. 1105 at the Ryksmuseum, Amsterdam.

[12] I wonder if it is to this work that Gauguin refers when, speaking of the progress Van Gogh was making under his tuition, he asks Morice: “Avez-vous vu la gure et les cheveux, jaune de chrome?”

[13] “Mercure de France,” vol. 48 (1903), p. 127.

[14] Ibid., p. 129.

[15] Both belonging to Galerie E. Druet in 1911.

[16] Belonging to Bernheim Jeune in 1911.

[17] “Mercure’ de France,” vol. 13 (1895).

[18] “Impressionisten,” p. 128. By-the-bye, Meier Graefe does not say why he thinks this, nor does he reveal the source of his judgment.

[19] “Mercure’ de France,” vol. 48, p. 126.

[20] At Amsterdam. The picture here referred to, which, as far as I was able to judge, measured 10 in. by 6 in., represents a monk seated by the side of a sick or dying man’s bed.—Tr.

[21] A word suggesting bold virtuosity in expressing an impression.—Tr.

[22] The German is wanzenartig, but the above rendering gives, I think, a better idea of Van Gogh’s meaning than a literal translation would.—Tr.

[23] Van Gogh must be referring, here, to Japanese prints which have undergone a process of craping. For details of this process see “Japanese Colour Prints” by E. F. Strange (pp. 110, 111).—TR.

[24] This sentence does not seem to make sense, even in the French, without this interpolation.—Tr.

[25] The writer is undoubtedly referring to the St. Matthew in the Louvre.

[26] In the Middle Ages these were corporations consisting of all people engaged in the writing and general production of books, as at Antwerp, for instance. These guilds, which in other places, as at Bruges, were also called St. John Guilds, were often joined by the first printers, until their numbers in any particular town allowed them to form a guild of their own.—Tr.

[27] The German is “No. 30 Quadrat,” which is rendered approximately by the above.—Tr.

[28] German “No. 30.”—Tr.

[29] The German is: zwei Bilden in Breitformat. The only English term which appears to be used to designate a picture the horizon line of which runs parallel to the longest sides of the canvas, and which is therefore the reverse of an “upright,” is “landscape-shape.”—TR.

[30] See note on p. 40.

[31] See note on p. 91.

[32] Ger. “No. 15.”—Tr.

[33] See note, p. 40.

[34] These figures are approximate only. The German equivalents are Nos. 25, 30, and 20.—Tr.

[35] See note p. 91.

[36] Reference to Diaz’s self-sacrificing friendship for Millet.

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