"Van Gogh painted Gachet, his physician, resting his right elbow on a red table, head in hand. Two yellow books, one of which is Manette Salomon, as well as the purple medicinal herb foxglove are displayed on the table. The doctor’s 'sensitive face', of which Van Gogh wrote to Paul Gauguin, carried 'the heartbroken expression of our time.'" http://books0977.tumblr.com/page/17 Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, Auvers-sur-Oise, 3 June 1890 [letter 638]: I am working on his portrait, the head with a white cap, very fair, very light, the hands also a light flesh tint, a blue frock coat and a cobalt blue background, leaning on a red table, on which are a yellow book and a foxglove plant with purple flowers. It is in the same sentiment as the self-portrait I did when I left for this place. M. Gachet is absolutely fanatical about this portrait, and wants me to do one of him, if I can, exactly like it, which I should like to... (http://www.tfsimon.com/auvers-sur-oise.html)