Letter R26 The Hague, c. 12 February 1883
Amice Rappard,
Yesterday I assembled some duplicates which I have found since I sent you the last ones. But all this has nothing to do with the Graphics, which for the time being I am going to leave in the condition they were in when I got them, although I feel strongly inclined to mount the sheets as soon as I have time and mounting board.
I think you will probably appreciate R茅gamey鈥檚 鈥淐onvicts, Outdoor Work.鈥?I鈥檓 sorry I have no duplicates of the other 鈥淐onvicts鈥?or of some other sheets representing 鈥淎 Stroll鈥?and 鈥淎 Dinner,鈥?which are surprisingly soberly done, and possibly even fuller in character than this one. I think Hopkins鈥檚 鈥淏oat Race鈥?and 鈥淲eather鈥?p style="line-height:25px;text-indent:32px"> are reminiscent of Percy Macquoid, if I may say so. How much character there is in them, and what a peculiar daylight tone.
Can you guess who did 鈥淭he First Warm Days鈥? Beautiful, isn鈥檛 it? The little Jules F茅rats, 鈥淧risons d鈥檃utrefois et d鈥檃ujourd鈥檋ui鈥?[Prisons of the Past and Present], harmonize well with the little Renouards of Majos.
If there should be some among them that you already have, please return them sometime, but there鈥檚 no hurry,
of course.
Now I have a duplicate of a large Heilbuth, 鈥淎u Bord de l鈥檈au鈥?[At the Waterside], which has a little figure of a lady sitting on a log; this detail and the title will probably enable you to verify whether or not you have it already. I have not sent it because I feel almost sure you have it 鈥?yet I am in doubt, and it is very beautiful, so please look it up.
That sheet by Dodd harmonizes quite nicely with Green鈥檚 鈥淪ignboard Painter.鈥?鈥淧oor Irish Scholar鈥?is another one by that same M. F. who did the 鈥淢erthyr Tydfil Pawn Office.鈥?However small this print may be, it鈥檚 marvelously good, isn鈥檛 it?
I don鈥檛 know who did the little Irish sketches 鈥淎rch,鈥?鈥淐ottage鈥?and 鈥淟abourer鈥檚 Home,鈥?but I think particularly the last one excellent. Well, this is no more than a few things jumbled together.
I think 鈥淕ood Friday鈥?is by Barnes. It just occurs to me that for a long time now I have had a fine portrait by Corot ready for you; I shall add it to the others at once. Whenever I have time I rummage among those Graphics; there are treasures in them I am writing in a hurry; I have collected these sheets while tidying up the studio. I hope there will be something that you will like among them.
Adieu, with a handshake,
Ever yours, Vincent