The Letters of a Postimpressionist Author:Vincent van Gogh Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LETTERS TO E. BERNARD I Still believe that in studios one learns next to nothing about painting and certainly nothing about life, and that one should do all o... more »ne can to learn to live and to paint without having recourse to those old fools and wiseacres, [1]' When our relations with a painter are so strained as to make us say: "If that fellow exhibits any of his pictures by the side of mine, I shall withdraw mine," and then proceed to abuse him, it seems to me that this is not the proper way to act; for, previous to arriving at such drastic conclusions one should make quite sure, and give the matter careful thought. After due reflection we are almost sure to find—particularly when we happen to be at loggerheads with the artist— that there is as much to criticize in our own work as in the other man's. He has as much right to exist as we have. When it is remembered that this man or that—be he a pointilliste or a member of another school —has often done good work, instead of disparaginghim, we should speak of him with respect and sympathy, more particularly if he happen to be in disagreement with us. Otherwise we become too narrow- minded and are no better than those who can say no good of others and regard themselves alone as right. The observance of this principle ought even to be extended to the academicians. Take one of Fantin- Latour's pictures, for instance, or even the whole of his life-work! In any case he is not a revolutionary, and yet there is something restful and confident in his work, which elevates him to the rank of the most independent characters. For the good of all concerned, it is worth while abandoning the selfish principle: " Everyone for himself." 1 These numbers in brackets refer to the notes at the end of the book.—Tr. My Dear Bernard, As I promi...« less