Thursday, 6 March 1879

Well — I am doing a still life. But the ideas of yesterday. I recall a letter from Marcuard in which he told me: We have this winter here a young Polish girl who dominates all of society — Mademoiselle Tanska — she occupies herself with sculpture.
By the end of winter this young woman had married. It is clear and straightforward, this adventure. She went into society, naturally. To go to Florence, take up sculpture, and marry — that's the thing; at least it doesn't drag on. What if I went to Florence? It would be less about marrying than about seeing society — I have an idea we would be happy in Florence.
Well then — that is it: next winter we shall go spend two months there.
At present it has become an illness — society; two months would be enough; I would come back here to work... at what? I think as though painting did not exist, and I cannot understand what glory means... In fact, why torment oneself when there are heaps of people who have everything, who are adored, and from whom neither talent nor learning is demanded.