Vincent's Stay At Etten

Vincent likes most working on the moors. People see him often working in the region between Seppe and Liesbos.

Where's Etten? « enlarge »

visits the workrooms of the blacksmith, the carpenter, and the clog-maker , and sketches them during their work. What he most has to concentrate on, in his opinion, is the drawing of models. He tries to find the correct proportions but that is a hard task for him. It stands to reason that Vincent paid his models a small fee. The labourers, Kaufmann and Schuitemaker and Mrs. Oostrijck have posed for him several times. and Schuitemaker and Mrs. Oostrijck posed for him several times. In October Vincent gets fascinated by the beautiful old willows along the road to the railroad station, and makes several drawings of this scene.

a drawing of the old willows along the road to the railway station « enlarge »

At the beginning of summer Vincent's friend from Brussels, Anton van Rappard is staying for several weeks at Etten. comes to stay for several weeks at Etten. Both friends draw and paint landscapes. They draw at home too, and even during the sermon of clergyman Jan Gerrit Kam at the church of Leur, Van Rappard keeps on sketching. They exchange books and after the stay they keep on writing letters to each other. Vincent did not always agree with is friend. He rejects drawing from nude models, as was the fashion in the academies. In his opinion he has to work on themes of Dutch nature: landscapes and typical figures from the village. Concluding on the time he spent at Etten, we can say that Vincent lacked people with the same ideas and ideals; brothers in art. He hopes to find them at The Hague... On the 20th of July 1882, Vincent van Gogh, the painter, is removed from the register of the population of Etten en Leur.