It became too much today
Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, from The Hague, 22 July 1883
It became too much today. Work is the only remedy; if that does not help, one breaks down.
And you see the trouble is that the possibility of working depends on selling the work, for there are expenses - the more one works, the greater the expenses are (though the latter is not true in every respect). When one does not sell and has no other income, it is impossible to make the progress which would otherwise follow of its own accord.
The fact is, brother, that the general state of affairs oppressed me more than I could bear, and I am telling you my thoughts. I only wish you would come soon. And do write soon, for I need it. Of course there is nobody but you whom I can speak to about it, for it does not concern other people, and they have nothing to do with it.
Letter 302
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
It became too much today. Work is the only remedy; if that does not help, one breaks down.
And you see the trouble is that the possibility of working depends on selling the work, for there are expenses - the more one works, the greater the expenses are (though the latter is not true in every respect). When one does not sell and has no other income, it is impossible to make the progress which would otherwise follow of its own accord.
The fact is, brother, that the general state of affairs oppressed me more than I could bear, and I am telling you my thoughts. I only wish you would come soon. And do write soon, for I need it. Of course there is nobody but you whom I can speak to about it, for it does not concern other people, and they have nothing to do with it.
Letter 302
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
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