• C.M. van Gogh Art Gallery, Amsterdam
• Mr. Roëll, Utrecht
• W.C.A. Huinck Art Gallery, Utrecht
• H.P. Bemmer, The Hague
• John Streep art dealer, New York [acquired 1955]
• New York , D. Daniels [acquired 1955: R 1969]

Catalogues raisonnés:

• F942: Faille, Jacob Baart de la (1970) [1928] The Works of Vincent van Gogh. His Paintings and Drawings, Amsterdam: J.M. Meulenhoff, no. 942 .
• JH147 : Jan Hulsker (1980), The Complete Van Gogh, Oxford: Phaidon, no.  147.
  
• The drawing was part of a second commission from Vincent's uncle Cornelis (Cor) Marinus van Gogh (Uncle Cor or C.M.) (1824-1908) brother of Theodorus van Gogh, an art dealer and bookseller in Amsterdam. Cornelis was disappointed in this second set of six townscapes of the Hague and paid Vincent less than he expected, and without renewing the commission (Naifeh and Smith, ibid cit, pp. 263-7). Rappard, however, admired the drawing (letter 231). The museum page mentions the drawing was executed with the aid of the perspective frame Vincent had had made for him.
• Sien's mother's house was at Breedstraat 31a (52°04′42″N 4°18′10″E / 52.078199°N 4.302833°E / 52.078199; 4.302833) in the Geest district of the Hague (letter 231 n. 1). In letter 235 Vincent calls it an almshouse. The Geest was an area of densely packed laborers' and artisans' houses, commencing scarcely 200 hundred yards to the west of the city center, that Vincent referred to as the "Whitechapel" of The Hague (letter 232). It has been extensively redeveloped since, though parts of it survive.
• Letters
• Letter 214 to Theo van Gogh. The Hague, on or about Sunday, 2 April 1882. Vincent van Gogh: The Letters. Van Gogh Museum. "C.M. paid me, and a new order, but difficult enough, 6 detailed, specific, townscapes. I’ll see that I make them in any case, because if I understand correctly I’ll get for these 6 as much as for the first 12. And then perhaps sketches of Amsterdam."
• Letter 231 to Theo van Gogh. The Hague, Saturday, 27 May 1882. Vincent van Gogh: The Letters. Van Gogh Museum. "Today, Saturday, I had a visit from Rappard, and I’m glad that now he has been here. He also asked after you with great interest.
  He saw the drawings I’m doing for C.M. among other things, and they seem to please him, especially a large one of the courtyard or back yard at the house where Sien’s mother lives. I would like you to see that one, as well as another of a carpenter’s shed and yard with small figures at work. The perspective is rather more complicated than in the Laan van Meerdervoort I sent you, and I’ve laboured long and hard on it."
• Letter 232 to Anthon van Rappard. The Hague, Sunday, 28 May 1882. Vincent van Gogh: The Letters. Van Gogh Museum. "Thanks to you know what, [a reference to a loan of 2.50 guilders that Rappard gave him to get a drawing repaired. Vincent gave him a version of Sorrow in return (letter 231). He later paid him back in full (letter 236). Rappard's version of Sorrow fetched £1,329,250 at a Christie's sale in 2012] I’ve just been packing my drawings for Amsterdam. There are now 7 in all. The larger of the 2 courtyards [i.e. this drawing] is now completely flat as a result of being mounted on Bristol, and the lines have become much more rapid."
• Letter 235 to Theo van Gogh. The Hague, Saturday, 3 June 1882. Vincent van Gogh: The Letters. Van Gogh Museum. "Rappard was pleased with a similar drawing which C.M. has, and moreover with all the others C.M. has. Especially with the largest of the almshouse."

• Naifeh, Steven; Smith, Gregory White. Van Gogh: The Life. Profile Books, 2011. ISBN 978-1846680106