1. Theo was 27 on 1 May 1884.

2. This remark must refer to the payment of Theo’s share in the profits for 1883 at Boussod, Valadon & Cie. From the ‘Compte de Monsieur Van Gogh’ (Mr van Gogh’s account) it emerges that he was paid the sum of 8226.80 francs on 21 April 1884 (FR b2124). Normally Theo received advances plus extra ‘remittances’ over and above them; cf. in this connection for the year 1889: Account book 2002, p. 41. See also letter 479, n. 2.

3. Most probably Weaver (F 30 / JH 479 ), which is indeed ‘fairly large’: it measures 70 x 85 cm. Later Van Gogh had it photographed: see letters 463 and 465.

4. Weaver and a spinning wheel (F 29 / JH 471 ), discussed in letter 440.

5. We do not know which two paintings of ‘effects on the heath’ he is referring to here.

6. Landscape with pollard birches (F 31 / JH 477 ).

7. This plan probably resulted in the paintings Weaver arranging threads (F 35 / JH 478) and Weaver arranging threads (F 32 / JH 480).

8. See for the engraving after Jean-François Millet, La veillée (Evening) from the series The four times of the day, which Van Gogh owned: letter 37, n. 16. The painting was at the Sale Gavet at Hôtel Drouot which Van Gogh had been to in 1875: see letter 36, n. 5. The lamp casting light on the family in this scene bears some resemblance to the sketched model.