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Vincent to Theo · March 1888

Letters from Vincent · Chapter I The South · Arles

Pink Peach Tree in Blossom (Reminiscence of Mauve)
Pink Peach Tree in Blossom (Reminiscence of Mauve) · Le Pêcher rose (Souvenir de Mauve) · mars 1888

Listen to the first sentence (French)

The letter and its translation

J'avais travaillé une toile de 20 en plein air dans un verger, un terrain lilas labouré, une clôture en roseaux, deux pêchers roses contre un ciel glorieux bleu et blanc. Probablement le meilleur paysage que j'aie fait.

I had worked on a size-20 canvas outdoors in an orchard: ploughed lilac ground, a fence of reeds, two pink peach trees against a glorious blue and white sky. Probably the best landscape I have done.

Seulement un je ne sais quoi m'a empoigné et serré la gorge d'émotion, et j'ai écrit sur mon tableau: Souvenir de Mauve, Vincent & Théo.

But a certain something seized me and tightened my throat with emotion, and I wrote on my picture: Souvenir de Mauve, Vincent & Theo.

J'ai exprès pris la meilleure étude que j'ai fabriquée ici; … il me semblait qu'il fallait en mémoire de Mauve quelque chose et de tendre et de très gai, et non pas une étude dans une gamme plus sérieuse que cela.

I deliberately took the best study I have made here; … it seemed to me that in memory of Mauve there should be something both tender and very cheerful, and not a study in a more serious key than that.

„Ne crois pas que les morts soient morts, Tant qu'il y aura des vivants, Les morts vivront, les morts vivront.” C'est comme ça que je sens la chose, pas plus triste que cela.

“Do not believe that the dead are dead; as long as there are the living, the dead will live, the dead will live.” That is how I feel about it, no sadder than that.

J'ai beaucoup de mal en peignant à cause du vent, mais j'attache mon chevalet à des piquets plantés dans le terrain, et travaille quand même, c'est trop beau.

Painting is very hard going because of the wind, but I tie my easel to stakes driven into the ground and work all the same; it's too beautiful.

Selected sentences from the letter. The translation is our own.

Curator’s note
Anton Mauve, the Dutch painter who had taught Vincent in The Hague, died in February 1888. Vincent wrote ‘Souvenir de Mauve’ on this freshly painted orchard and proposed that he and Theo send it together to Mauve's widow. At the lower left of the canvas you can read ‘Souvenir de Mauve’ and the signature ‘Vincent’. The letter speaks of two peach trees; in the picture it is the one tree in front that holds the eye.

In the app the letter arrives line by line like a message, with the meaning under each word, and you can talk with the writer. Chapter I is free.

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