Jozef Israëls

"That is always difficult [making a repetition of an sold painting] and can only become a potboiler. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"The title [of an album with prints of Israels and poems after his pictures, made by Nicolaas Beets ] will not be I hope Kroost der zee [Offspring of the Sea]. I think this is an insufferable dissonance. Call it Sketches from Fishers life - of B to J. I think that is the best, the simplest and the most attractive name. Also the word to gives me justice, otherwise people will think that I made them [his pictures] after Beets and not Beets [his poems] after me. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"I take advantage of a painting that I now have at the Paris exhibition. 3 orphan girls who are sewing in an interior room. I have sold [it] there for a nice price and have heard some interesting reviews published about it. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"Take care for purity in the paint and not so stinky thick of grease, thin, thin, thin! And just on the light [parts in the painting] here and there a small push of thick [paint].. ..thick house-interiors are unpleasant - long drawing before you start and arrange pleasantly together all things before you start to paint - if the money does not bother you, it is always useful to visit Rott. [Rotterdam]. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"The boss [her husband] is hard working, busy with a very beautiful painting ‘from darkness into light, a woman sitting on a chair with her hand in front of the face, a little love is lying innocent in the cradle, a child of about six years is sitting on her lap with the head on mothers knee; the corpse of the father is carried out by a sad flock of people; one can see the sky and the spire [through the doorway], it is touching (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"Thats how it is One day two paintings were hanging, Right opposite each other Really colorful and beautiful the one And the other simple and honest * That simplicity and truth are the characteristics of science and of art. Well, people can not understand that. It was to the tinsel that they gave their favor. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"In this Summer time of ours with Scheveningen on the shore the bathing time and the hot weather I did very few things.. ..was only busy calculating my studies [for later paintings] and to see what I should do.. ..an interior with some figures an outside Schevening shore scene a scene with sentiment of feeling or a picture quite after nature so natural as if it was the old dutch school [17th century].. ..I hope the next days will bring me a safe outcome from the turbulations in my head, all is so fine and beautiful to do.. [original text by Israëls]"

"I want to put over my emotions in the spectator, - I want to make him fascinated by the scene, which I have not only seen with my naked eyes, but which I have seen moving deep inside myself. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"I heard nothing from his excellence [Mr. Keiller bought a picture of 1000 pond and sent Israëls the money but no word about the picture].. .I am sure he will be satisfied by it when he hears it is good. I have some practice in those matters of amateurs. The best pictures are the worst for them naturally. They have not the tools to understand it, but when they hear other saying it is fine, they make a high breast saying I ordered that picture.."

"As I hear, you are the possessors of one of my favorite paintings The children on the beach and I can tell you that few pictures by me, have so much figures, busy in the subject. Therefore I mean that this picture is an unicum and I hope you will give it a good light and place in your gallery."

"Next morning [after J.W. Bilders had visited Israëls and thought his recent painting was somewhat gray. he got up early to put the whole painting in the soap from top to bottom and after breakfast after the walk he was still picking up the work a bit; then the painting was good. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"

"..I would like to ask your advice as a friend, namely whether you believe I should submit my painting Ouden en Jongen [Old and Young ones] to Brussels [exhibition] or not. I thought it was a nice painting, but now I read in the Handelsblad that it is so bad. What is truth about that. Please do me the favor to sent me some words sans facon [straight forward], what is your opinion about this. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)"