I think Paris enervating
Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, from Drenthe, 17 November 1883
And, for myself, I think Paris enervating, and I see no good in living there permanently, neither for myself nor for you.
As for me, perhaps I shall have to be there for a time in order to make some contacts (made impossible for me at The Hague), but I will stay in the country as much as I can, and the only thing which counts with me is painting or drawing. . . .
How inexpressibly beautiful it is here!
You cannot see it at all from my studies yet; I still have much to learn before I can express how it really is here, and it is also a question of time.
One thing I declare, that this country had an influence of calm, of faith, of courage on me, and I believe you need that influence too - it would be the very, very best thing for you; it would make you discover yourself again, your soul, but in a more genuine and complete way than at the time of drawing mills. But I am afraid you consider what I say as the product of my imagination, my words as idle and without foundation.
Letter 341
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
And, for myself, I think Paris enervating, and I see no good in living there permanently, neither for myself nor for you.
As for me, perhaps I shall have to be there for a time in order to make some contacts (made impossible for me at The Hague), but I will stay in the country as much as I can, and the only thing which counts with me is painting or drawing. . . .
How inexpressibly beautiful it is here!
You cannot see it at all from my studies yet; I still have much to learn before I can express how it really is here, and it is also a question of time.
One thing I declare, that this country had an influence of calm, of faith, of courage on me, and I believe you need that influence too - it would be the very, very best thing for you; it would make you discover yourself again, your soul, but in a more genuine and complete way than at the time of drawing mills. But I am afraid you consider what I say as the product of my imagination, my words as idle and without foundation.
Letter 341
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
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