Original manuscript

Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, inv. nos. b545 a-b V/1962

The letter must date from after letter 630 of 23 June in which Van Gogh is still complaining about the rain, and before letter 634 of about 28 June in which he writes that he worked on the sower yesterday and today. This sower – an important subject to him – is not mentioned in the present letter. The remark ‘The wheatfields – that has been an opportunity to work’ (l. 116), and the fact that he told Bernard on 27 June (letter 633, l. 65) ‘I have seven studies of wheatfields’ also place the letter in the last week of June. This is borne out by his statement that he bought his canvases ‘really not so long ago’ (l. 186) – and that was shortly before 15 June (see letter 625) – and his request to Theo to double the order for zinc white (l. 100) – this refers to letter 629 of 21 June, in which Vincent asked for new paint from Tasset. For all these reasons we, like Merlhès, have dated the letter on or about Monday, 25 June 1888.