Vincent rented a studio from May 1884 from the Catholic verger Johannes Schafrat at what was then known as Heieind 540. This space was more suitable for working with models. After his father's death Vincent also lived there. It became increasingly difficult to find models and the priest forbade his parishioners from posing for him. He even agreed to pay them himself for not doing so. This was one of the reasons that Vincent left Nuenen at the end of November and moved to Antwerp. He also hoped to learn something at the academy, and he longed for the artistic world he had missed for so long.
Anton Kerssemakers, who had become Vincent's friend, wrote down his memories of the studio in 1914. The verger's house was demolished in 1936.
