“The most human thing about anyone is a thing he learns and … and earns. It’s a thing he can’t have when he’s very young; if he gets it at all, he gets it after a long search and a deep conviction. After that it’s truly part of him as long as he lives.”

Source: More Than Human (1953), Chapter 3, p. 184

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Theodore Sturgeon 44
American speculative fiction writer 1918–1985

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“Bosboom has just as anyone else fussed around things [paintings] from time to time to get his money. Only very few people can escape this... It is almost impossible that an artist who doesn't have the gift to work for the market as well, will always have to make good things. Because, when he has no money he has to earn it. And he will have to strain himself. For something he appreciates the least of all. He can never neglect this... The examples you can see everywhere. If you may write something about him [Bosboom] again, I hope you will take this into account too.”

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translation from the original Dutch, Fons Heijnsbroek
version in original Dutch (citaat van zijn brief aan nl:Jan Veth, in het Nederlands:) Bosboom heeft net zoo goed als een ander wel eens dingen afgepeuterd om aan geld te komen. daar ontsnappen maar heel weinig menschen aan.. .Het is bijna onmogelijk dat een artist die niet de gaaf heeft om tegelijk voor de verkoop te werken altijd heeft goede dingen te maken. omdat hij als hij geen geld heeft het moet verdienen. En hij zich zal moeten inspannen. Voor iets waar hij minst voor voelt. Dat nooit nalaten kan.. .De voorbeelden zijn voor 't grijpen. Als je soms iets over hem mocht schrijven hoop ik dat je dit ook in aanmerking zult nemen.
quote of Breitner in a letter to Jan Veth, Amsterdam, Fall 1891; original text in RKD-Archive, The Hague https://rkd.nl/explore/excerpts/80
Jan Veth wrote an memorial on Johannes Bosboom, shortly after Bosboom's death
1890 - 1900

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