(http://www.vangoghletters.org/vg/quickguide.html).
This is the greatest resource on Vincent Van Gogh ever put together…and it’s free!
After carefully reading and re-reading the site for the past few months and thoroughly enjoying it, I still felt like something was missing. I couldn’t figure out what it was, but I needed something more. The letters let us into Van Gogh’s life; his fears and hopes, his vulnerability and convictions, and eventually his complete unraveling and demise. But with all the letters and all the sketches and 200 paintings, something is still missing. I’m left needing more. It was like spending a great day in the ocean and not catching that one wave or not getting that one, solid mouthful of salt water. I felt the need to touch his rough, red beard, hear his loud, raspy voice, see him walk, see the creases on the back of his neck, how he parts his hair, the paint in his fingernails, his discolored teeth, the clearing of his throat, etc. I had everything but the physical texture of his life and some real social interactions rather than just first hand re-tellings or clearly expressed thoughts and feelings. And the humor. There was a lot of humor somewhere in there. There is so much in the letters, it leaves you needing more. They bring him to life…almost.
Besides the letters, sketches and paintings, we have a black and white photograph of Vincent seated with his back to us, a fair distance from the photographer. From the photograph we might infer that Vincent was
probably a stout, lumbering figure. But that’s it. A photograph of his back. Again, I’m left needing more…a dozen photographs, an audio interview and some video fragments of Vincent painting. But it’s not
going to happen. Not now. Not ever. Vincent is gone. Only his letters and paintings remain. All divine. Heavenly. Sacred.
And then there is this. What I have to offer. My findings. My musings on Vincent. These will hopefully round out his character and correspondence.
There is no order or coherence to what I’ve posted here. Each piece should/could stand alone. I think there are 40 or so Van Gogh sketches in all. Later, I’m hoping to pull the whole mess together.
Vinnie
This exchange between Vincent and Theo happened sometime in June 1871.
As a child Vincent was once called Vinnie by a classmate. That night, Vincent wrote a letter to Theo and put the letter on Theo‘s pillow. The letter read:
Dear Theo, today at school Boris referred to me as “Vinnie.” I didn’t mind it. It made me think about myself differently. I felt slightly Italian. But just for a moment. Is Boris German? -V
Theo wrote back: Dear Vincent, Vinnie doesn’t suit you. You are too complicated a character to be called the name of a cartoon animal. Let’s go to Italy some day. Boris not German. Polish. -T
Vincent wrote back: Theo, I liked Vinnie. It made me feel happy when I thought of myself as Vinnie. Can we bring Boris to Italy? -V
Theo to Vincent: Vinnie, whatever makes you happy makes me happy. Boris can’t go to Italy with us. But Vinnie, your room is right next to mine. You don’t have to write letters to me. You can come next door to my room and we can visit here. -T
Vincent to Theo: Theo, why can’t Boris go with us? And I’m back to Vincent. I’m heading to your room now. -V
Theo to Vincent: Vincent, you never showed up to my room. Where are you now? Boris is a no-go in Italy because he chews with his mouth open, he talks loud and he appears to be the sort that would bring too much luggage. Still waiting in my room. -T
