Russell met with Van Gogh in Cormon's studio in 1886.... Russell was the life of the party, sporty and fun as opposed to "the dark Dutchman, with hair the color of carrots." As mentioned by Van Gogh;s biographers, he was an outsider in the school - "uncommunicative, in constant tension, with the cold eyes of the frog." But one day, he praised the work of Russell, and between the fellow students there was communication. The Aussie was fascinated by the unusual and anxious face of Van Gogh, and even made a few pencil sketches. (Rough translation of Russian text at http://parashutov.livejournal.com/183432.html).