190

Br. 1990: 188 | CL: R6
From: Vincent van Gogh
To: Anthon van Rappard
Date: Etten, Wednesday, 23 November 1881
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a. Meaning: ‘prikkelt’ (stimulates, spurs).
1. This is letter 188.
2. Van Gogh later added the sentence ‘(Let us... Mauve)’.
3. A reductio ad absurdum is ‘a method of proving the falsity of a premiss, principle, etc., by showing that the conclusion or consequence is absurd’ (OED).
b. Meaning: ‘grondstelling’, ‘uitgangspunt’ (basic principle).
4. Cf. Matt. 6:22 and Luke 11:34.
5. In Sund’s opinion this passage indicates knowledge of Zola’s essay ‘Le moment artistique’, published in Mes haines. See Sund 1992, pp. 53-54. Zola’s book is first mentioned, however, in letter 358. Moreover, Van Gogh puts the work and the author on the same plane, whereas Zola puts the author first.