1882-11–1883-02 · The Hague · Knot of Motif

The Print Collection in The Hague

He kept prints in his studio and returned to them: an image could become a possession, then a working reference at hand.

No painting at this knot — only a letter.

Painting

This node displays no Van Gogh artwork; it follows his records of prints. In December 1882 he discussed a peasant woman by Julien Dupré in the French Monde illustré and small illustrations by Théophile Schuler. In February 1883 he sent three Herkomer prints to Van Rappard. English and French images were present, but his letters did not arrange them into a comparison of three national schools.

Letter

To Theo he discussed the blacks in printmaking, the rendering of fabrics and the difficulty of working at a small scale. To Van Rappard he wrote that such prints together were like a Bible an artist could read from time to time. He cared about subject matter, graphic process and the chance to keep the images in view.

Events

1882-11-01 The Ferocious Reader · Letter 278
Van Rappard sent him an extract from Herkomer’s lecture on modern wood engraving; he wrote Theo about its distinction between draughtsman and engraver.
c. 1882-12-03 The Translator · Letter 290
Discussing the dark passages in his lithograph, he invoked Schuler’s small illustrations for French magazines to argue that a reduced format required serious study.
1882-12-10 The Ferocious Reader · Letter 292
He saw a Julien Dupré woodcut of a peasant woman in Monde illustré and praised its energy and fidelity to life.
c. 1883-02-10 The Ferocious Reader · Letter 311
He sent Van Rappard three Herkomer prints, calling such prints together a kind of Bible that an artist could return to and keep in the studio.
c. 1883-02-15 The Ferocious Reader · Letter 316
He discussed Bodmer’s illustrated book and Caldecott’s woodcuts, wishing he and Theo could look through such prints together.

From the Letters

Bladen als deze vormen m.i. te zamen voor een artist een soort bijbel waar hij nu en dan eens in leest om zich te stemmen.

In my view prints like these together form a kind of Bible for an artist, in which he reads now and again to get into a mood.

Letter 311

Het is goed niet alleen ze te kennen maar eens en voor altijd ze op ’t atelier te hebben dunkt mij.

It’s good not only to know them but to have them in the studio once and for all, it seems to me.

Letter 311

Ge moet als ge komt toch ook eens weer de houtsneden zien_

When you come, you must see the woodcuts again.

Letter 316

Letter Sources

Van Gogh letter records referenced on this page, linked to the Van Gogh Letters Project. vangoghletters.org