Then the dreaminess goes out of it
Vincent van Gogh to Anthon van Rappard, from The Hague, 14-15 June 1883
When once I feel - I know - a subject, I usually draw three or more variations of it whether it is figure or landscape - but every time and for each one I consult nature. And I even do my best not to give details - for then the dreaminess goes out of it. And when Tersteeg and my brother, and others, say, “What is this, is it grass or cabbage?” - then I answer, “Delighted that you can't make it out.”
And yet they are sufficiently true to nature for the honest natives of these parts to recognize certain details which I have hardly paid any attention to; they will say, for instance, “Yes, that's Mrs. Renesse's hedge,” or, “Look, there are Van de Louw's beanpoles.”
Letter R37
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
When once I feel - I know - a subject, I usually draw three or more variations of it whether it is figure or landscape - but every time and for each one I consult nature. And I even do my best not to give details - for then the dreaminess goes out of it. And when Tersteeg and my brother, and others, say, “What is this, is it grass or cabbage?” - then I answer, “Delighted that you can't make it out.”
And yet they are sufficiently true to nature for the honest natives of these parts to recognize certain details which I have hardly paid any attention to; they will say, for instance, “Yes, that's Mrs. Renesse's hedge,” or, “Look, there are Van de Louw's beanpoles.”
Letter R37
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home