A fata morgana

Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, from Nuenen, late November 1884

What shall I say to you? Your letter sounds very correct, and has the tone of a good ministre des Beaux Arts.

But this does not alter the fact that it is not much use to me, and that I am not satisfied with it - and especially in your "later on, when you have expressed yourself more clearly, we shall perhaps find something in your present work, and then we shall not act as we do now…" I see only a fair promise - but in reality a ministerial fata morgana in the eyes of a fellow like me, who would rather find an outlet for his work in a more pedestrian way, provided that it is at the present moment.

You cannot demand of me that I resign myself to a ministerial fata morgana. After all, I am too practical for that! Which is not being intransigent, and which is really why I piss on the sanctuary of the intransigent fellows - which I do once in a while - on sanctuaries in general.

Letter 386b
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
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