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 The letters
"The letters" play a major role for Van Gogh researchers.
During his short life Vincent wrote very often an extensive letter to his brother Theo.
As an example of the frequency: From September 11 1883, untill September 28 1883 (the first weeks
of Vincent's stay in Drenthe) he wrote 7 letters to his brother.
These letters are published many times and in many languages. The latest version is published
in 1990 and it is the (Dutch) text from this publication which is used in this website.
As said, "The letters" play a major role for the research into the life and work of Vincent van Gogh.
In his letters Vincent often describes the paintings he's working on and what interests him. He
even accompanies the letters with sketches, so his brother (and financer) can see what he's working at.
When Vincent arrives in the town named Hoogeveen in Drenthe he immediately writes
a letter to Theo to give him his new adress.
"A. Hartsuiker, innkeeper at Hoogeveen"
In his second letter, dated around September 15th 1883, Vincent writes that he has
been wandering around the area. He also writes:
"I am enclosing a sketch of my first painted study from this neighbourhood, a cottage
on the heath. A cottage made entirely of only turfs and sticks."
I have seen the inside of some 6 or so like this, too, and more studies of them will follow.
I can't convey the way they look outside in the dusk or just after sunset better than by
reminding you of a certain painting by Jules Dupré, which I believe belongs to Mesdag and shows
two cottages, their moss-covered roofs standing out surprisingly deep in tone against a misty,
hazy evening sky. That is here.
On the inside, these cottages, dark as a cave, are very beautiful."
And also in the same letter:
"To give you an example of the true character in this area: as I sat painting that cottage,
two sheep and a goat came and started to graze on the roof of this house. The goat
climbed up on the ridge and looked down the chimney. The woman, who had heard something on the roof,
rushed out and flung her broom at the said goat, which leaped down like a chamois."
It's interesting to find out which painting Vincent is referring to in the above.
There are 2 known paintings from the Drenthe period which show some sort of cottage(s) and
therefore are candidates for the in the letter mentioned painting.
(From here on we will refer to 'the first study', as the painting mentioned in the second
letter from Drenthe.)
The 2 candidates are "Farm with stacks of peat" & "Cottages".
Is it "Farm with stacks of peat"?
It's easy to conclude that "Farm with stacks of peat" can not be 'the first study.
In a letter approx. 7 weeks after arrival in Hoogeveen Vincent encloses a sketch
of "Farm with stacks of peat" and writes to Theo that he is working on this painting.
The experts agree on this.
Is it "Cottages"?
Some think a reference to "Cottages" can be found in the letter which Vincent writes
at arrival in the tiny village New Amsterdam.
(Vincent lived in Hoogeveen the first 3 weeks, then he went by barge to the
even more desolated south-eastern area of Drenthe, where he arrived in the tiny village New
Amsterdam).
Vincent writes in this letter:
At Hoogeveen, before leaving, I have painted a few studies, among others a large
moss-roofed farm.
This could be referring to the painting "Cottages".
If so, it follows that "Cottages" can not be 'the first study',
as 'the first study' is painted just after arrival in Hoogeveen.
As Vincent writes, the painting "large moss-roofed farm" is painted just before
leaving Hoogeveen.
Apart form the above there are several other reasons why it is unlikely that the painting
"Cottages" is 'the first study':
Let's look at what Vincent writes more precisely and compare it with the painting "Cottages".
... a cottage on the heath. A cottage made entirely of only turfs and sticks.
Vincent writes twice cottage and not cottages. On "Cottages" there are
at least two cottages shown.
A cottage made entirely of only turfs and sticks.
It can be clearly seen that the cottages depicted in "Cottages" have walls, probably made
of wood or bricks. They are not entirely made of only turfs and sticks.
Also:
On the inside, these cottages, dark as a cave, are very beautiful.
The cottages shown have windows, they won't be 'dark as a cave on the inside'.
A fourth reason is a bit harder to explain in english. It has to do with the exact
dutch text which reads 'hut' translated as 'cottage'. In dutch there are 3 words for
describing these type of buildings:
1. 'plaggenhut' or 'hut' - The smallest building possible.
2. 'plaggenkeet' or 'keet' - A medium sized building.
3. 'boerderij' - The largest of the buildings.
Both 1. and 2. are translated as 'cottage'.
3. Is translated as 'farm'.
From the above it's easy to see that in the english translations some useful information
can get lost. So is the case here. Vincent would have called the buildings shown in the
painting "Cottages" 'plaggenkeet' or maybe 'farm'. The word 'hut' is used for smaller
types of these buildings.
The only conclusion to be drawn from the above is that 'the first study' is lost.
Dijk & vanderSluis come to the same conclusion in their very thorough investigation
of Vincent's stay in Drenthe.
Also the Van Gogh Museum supports this opinion, in their discussion of the
painting "Cottages" they write:
"His first painting in Drenthe was a 'cottage, [on the heath] made entirely
of only turfs and sticks'. After this in Hoogeveen painted, now not known
work anymore, would during his stay in Drenthe follow more studies of cottages,
from these two are saved: 'Farm with stacks of peat' and the here discussed work."
The 'here discussed work', is Cottages JH395).
Could "Cottage with sticks" be 'the first study'?
Let's analyse again what Vincent wrote and compare the text with the
painting "Cottage with sticks".
First let us refresh our heads and read the text again:
"I am enclosing a sketch of my first painted study from this neighbourhood, a cottage
on the heath. A cottage made entirely of only turfs and sticks.
I have seen the inside of some 6 or so like this, too, and more studies of them will follow.
I can't convey the way they look outside in the dusk or just after sunset better than by
reminding you of a certain painting by Jules Dupré, which I believe belongs to Mesdag and shows
two cottages, their moss-covered roofs standing out surprisingly deep in tone against a misty,
hazy evening sky. That is here.
On the inside, these cottages, dark as a cave, are very beautiful."
And also in the same letter:
"To give you an example of the true character in this area: as I sat painting that cottage,
two sheep and a goat came and started to graze on the roof of this house. The goat
climbed up on the ridge and looked down the chimney. The woman, who had heard something on the roof,
rushed out and flung her broom at the said goat, which leaped down like a chamois."
OK, let's go:
"I am enclosing a sketch of my first painted study from this neighbourhood..."
Unfortunately the enclosed sketch of the painting is lost.
".... a cottage on the heath."
When we look at the lower-right area of the painting there's no doubt a heath could
be depicted here.
"A cottage made entirely of only turfs and sticks."
It can clearly be seen that the cottage is made of turfs and sticks. There are no
walls of wood or bricks.
"I can't convey the way they look outside in the dusk or just after sunset better than by
reminding you of a certain painting by Jules Dupré, which I believe belongs to Mesdag and shows
two cottages, their moss-covered roofs standing out surprisingly deep in tone against a misty,
hazy evening sky. That is here."
The painting Vincent mentions is shown on the right. Whether one sees similarities
or not is subjective.
"I have seen the inside of some 6 or so like this, too, and more studies of them will follow.
On the inside, these cottages, dark as a cave, are very beautiful."
The cottage shown in "Cottage with sticks" has no windows, at least not on the
sides visible to us. It will be dark as a cave inside this cottage.
"To give you an example of the true character in this area: as I sat painting that cottage,
two sheep and a goat came and started to graze on the roof of this house. The goat
climbed up on the ridge and looked down the chimney."
For the goat to be able to climb onto the roof the lower edge of the roof mustn't be
too high off the ground. Also the chimney must be small enough for the goat to look
into. In my imagination I can see the goat standing on top of the cottage, looking down
the chimney.
"The woman, who had heard something on the roof,
rushed out and flung her broom at the said goat, which leaped down like a chamois."
From this sentence we can conclude that there was a woman in the house. On the
painting a woman is shown.
Conclusion:
(From letter 389 [324]).
Is it possible, according the letter texts, that "Cottage with sticks" is not
the "first study"?
No, in the texts regarding the "first study" nothing can be found which
excludes "Cottage with sticks" from being the "first study".
There are six clues from Vincent's own words which clearly are
applicable to the painting "Cottage with sticks".
Does "Cottage with sticks" comply with the letter texts?
Yes, nothing can be found in "Cottage with sticks" which would need an extra
description. In other words when Vincent would have to describe "Cottage with
sticks" he could have done it the way he described his "first study".
The letter texts don't exclude "Cottage with sticks" from being the "first study", on
the contrary.
I've searched 'the Letters' for clues that "Cottage with sticks" can't be the lost 'first
study' from Drenthe but I couldn't find a single one.
Are there more letters which might refer to "Cottage with sticks"?
In letter 392[327], written some 2 weeks after arrival in Hoogeveen, Vincent writes:
"Today I send you by parcel post three studies which I hope are dry enough;
however, if they stick to the sheet of paper I put over them as a precaution,
sponge them off with tepid water. The paint on the smallest one especially has
sunk in a lot. In a week or so brush it off with the white of an egg, or with a
little varnis in a month, to restore the colour. I send them to you to give you
an idea of the work, which will be better as I go along, you know.
What do we read here? It says (in other words):
"The paint on the smallest study has sunk in a lot".
Could this refer to "Cottage with sticks"?
With regard to
"smallest study"
:
When analyzing the panel dimensions (see page dimensions),
it can be seen that "Cottage with sticks"
fits in with the smallest of works from
the Drenthe period.
With regard to
"sunk in a lot"
:
I am not in the position to give an opinion on this.
An experts opinion is needed here.
Since the letter is written some 2 weeks after arrival in Hoogeveen it is
hardly possible for the paintings to be dry enough for transport.
Conclusion:
(From letter 392 [327]).
The letter text doesn't exclude "Cottage with sticks" from
being 'the first study', on the contrary.
Cottage with sticks & Vincent van Gogh - by Carl & Ans 2003-2005.
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The letters
