My aim is infernally difficult to achieve
Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, from The Hague, 21 July 1882
Today I promised myself something, that is, to treat my illness, or rather what remains of it, as if it didn't exist. Enough time has been lost, work must go on. So, well or not well, I am going back to drawing regularly from morning until night. . . .
Art is jealous, she does not like taking second place to an illness. Hence I shall humor her. . . .
People like me really should not be ill. I would like to make it perfectly clear to you how I look at art. To get to the essence of things one must work long and hard.
What I want and have as my aim is infernally difficult to achieve, and yet I don't think I am raising my sights too high. I want to make drawings that touch some people.
Letter 218
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
Today I promised myself something, that is, to treat my illness, or rather what remains of it, as if it didn't exist. Enough time has been lost, work must go on. So, well or not well, I am going back to drawing regularly from morning until night. . . .
Art is jealous, she does not like taking second place to an illness. Hence I shall humor her. . . .
People like me really should not be ill. I would like to make it perfectly clear to you how I look at art. To get to the essence of things one must work long and hard.
What I want and have as my aim is infernally difficult to achieve, and yet I don't think I am raising my sights too high. I want to make drawings that touch some people.
Letter 218
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
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