I've Only Myself To Blame For It,

I've Done What I Could As A Painter And That Seems To Me To Be Sufficient. I Don't Want To Be Compared To The Great Masters Of The Past, And My Painting Is Open To Criticism; That's Enough.

I Perhaps Owe Having Become A Painter To Flowers.

Manet Wanted One Day To Paint My Wife And Children. Renoir Was There. He Took A Canvas And Began Painting Them, Too. After A While, Manet Took Me Aside And Whispered, 'you're On Very Good Terms With Renoir And Take An Interest In His Future - Do Advise Him To Give Up Painting! You Can See For Yourself That It's Not His Metier At All.

Zaandam Has Enough To Paint For A Lifetime.

It's On The Strength Of Observation And Reflection That One Finds A Way. So We Must Dig And Delve Unceasingly.