Two brothers
Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, from Nuenen, 2 January 1884
I know of an old legend, I don't know of what people, which I love; of course it did not happen literally, but it is a symbol of many things.
In that story, it is said that the human race descends from two brothers.
These two were allowed to choose what they wanted above all things. The one chose gold, and the other chose the book.
The first, who had chosen gold, became prosperous; but the second one fared poorly.
The legend - without explaining exactly why - tells how the man with the book got banished to a cold and miserable country, and got isolated. But in his misery he started reading that book, and he learned things from it. So he managed to make his life more bearable, and invented several things to get out of his difficulties, so that at last he acquired a certain power, but always by working and struggling.
Then afterward, just when he had become stronger with the book's help, the first one grew weaker; and so he lived long enough to learn that gold is not the axis round which everything turns.
It is only a legend, but for me there is a depth in it which I find true.
"The book" does not mean all books or literature, it is at the same time conscience, reason, and it is art.
Gold does not stand for money alone, but it is at the same time a symbol of several other things.
Letter 351
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
I know of an old legend, I don't know of what people, which I love; of course it did not happen literally, but it is a symbol of many things.
In that story, it is said that the human race descends from two brothers.
These two were allowed to choose what they wanted above all things. The one chose gold, and the other chose the book.
The first, who had chosen gold, became prosperous; but the second one fared poorly.
The legend - without explaining exactly why - tells how the man with the book got banished to a cold and miserable country, and got isolated. But in his misery he started reading that book, and he learned things from it. So he managed to make his life more bearable, and invented several things to get out of his difficulties, so that at last he acquired a certain power, but always by working and struggling.
Then afterward, just when he had become stronger with the book's help, the first one grew weaker; and so he lived long enough to learn that gold is not the axis round which everything turns.
It is only a legend, but for me there is a depth in it which I find true.
"The book" does not mean all books or literature, it is at the same time conscience, reason, and it is art.
Gold does not stand for money alone, but it is at the same time a symbol of several other things.
Letter 351
Translation courtesy of Robert Harrison.
Back to The Way of Vincent: Making art no matter what
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posted by Jeffrois at 7:09 AM
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