"You are a mediocrity"
Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, from The Hague, c. 2 July 1883
But there are watercolors where the outlines are very strongly expressed - for instance those by Regamey, those by Pinwell and Walker and Herkomer, which I think of very often (those by the Belgian Meunier); but even if I tried this, Tersteeg would not be satisfied with them. He would always say, "It is not saleable and saleability must come first now."
Personally I think he means in plainer terms, "You are a mediocrity and you are arrogant because you don't give in and you make mediocre little things: you are making yourself ridiculous with your so-called seeking, and you do not work." That is the real meaning of what Tersteeg said to me the year before last, and last year; and he still means it.
Letter 297
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
But there are watercolors where the outlines are very strongly expressed - for instance those by Regamey, those by Pinwell and Walker and Herkomer, which I think of very often (those by the Belgian Meunier); but even if I tried this, Tersteeg would not be satisfied with them. He would always say, "It is not saleable and saleability must come first now."
Personally I think he means in plainer terms, "You are a mediocrity and you are arrogant because you don't give in and you make mediocre little things: you are making yourself ridiculous with your so-called seeking, and you do not work." That is the real meaning of what Tersteeg said to me the year before last, and last year; and he still means it.
Letter 297
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
Labels: calling, negative reaction, other
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