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LACRIMAE RERVM Gallery

Exhibition

The Great Consolation

So it remains a great consolation to me that the work goes forward rather than back.

To his mother, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, 19 September 1889 · letter 803

The same phrase in Vincent van Gogh’s hand
In Vincent’s hand: letter 803, sheet 1, lines 29–31 · Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, b654 V/1962

Vincent Willem van Gogh 1853–1890

Avenue of Poplars in Autumn
Avenue of Poplars in Autumn, October 1884

Ah! mon cher ami, faire de la peinture ce qu’est déjà avant nous la musique de Berlioz et de Wagner.... un art consolateur pour les coeurs navrés! Il n’y a encore que quelques uns qui comme vous et moi le sentent!!!

Ah, my dear friend, to make of painting what the music of Berlioz and Wagner has already been before us… an art of consolation for broken hearts! There are as yet only a few who feel this as you and I do!!!

To Paul Gauguin, Arles, 21 January 1889 · letter 739

je croirais presque que ces toiles vous diront ce que je ne sais dire en paroles, ce que je vois de sain et de fortifiant dans la campagne.

I would almost believe that these canvases will tell you what I cannot say in words, what I see that is healthy and fortifying in the country.

To Theo and Jo van Gogh, Auvers-sur-Oise, about 10 July 1890 · letter 898
Gallery number
LR 4
Section
Painting
Works
100
Opened
25 November 2008

Appendices · Appendices

  1. ISupplementary materialWhere each work is held: collection, acquisition, inscriptions, exhibitions, literature.
  2. IIIndexEvery work in the exhibition in a single table: dates, catalogue numbers, collections, inventory numbers.
  3. IIIDossier of the principal workAvenue of Poplars in Autumn: letters and autographs, verses copied in his hand, first notices, canvas and frame, provenance, exhibitions, literature.
  4. IVCorrectionsWhat was wrong in the record of the exhibition, and when it was put right; latest correction: 4 October 2026.

Music of the room

Die Ehre Gottes aus der NaturLudwig van Beethoven · sung by Friedrich SchorrBrunswick 10160-A, matrix 12901, 1924

Vincent names Beethoven in a letter to Theo from Saint-Rémy in the same September days of 1889 as the letter to his mother that gave the exhibition its title. Copying Millet, he compares himself to a performer: ‘si telle personne jouera du Beethoven elle y ajoutera son interprétation personelle – en musique et alors surtout pour le chant’: ‘if this or that person plays Beethoven, that person will bring a personal interpretation to it – in music, and then above all in singing’ (letter 805). What he himself heard the letters do not say. Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur, the fourth of six songs on poems by Gellert, op. 48 (1803), is a paraphrase of the nineteenth Psalm: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God.’

  1. Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles) Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles)1888
  2. The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  3. Landscape at Twilight Landscape at TwilightJune 1890
  4. View from Vincent’s Studio View from Vincent’s StudioJune 1886
  5. Green Wheat Field Green Wheat Field1889
  6. La Mousmé La Mousmé1888
  7. Pine Trees at Sunset Pine Trees at SunsetDecember 1889
  8. Le café de nuit (The Night Café) Le café de nuit (The Night Café)1888
  9. Farm with Stacks of Peat Farm with Stacks of PeatOctober 1883
  10. The Smoker (Le Fumeur) The Smoker (Le Fumeur)February 1888
  11. The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’) The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’)May–June 1885
  12. View of a Butcher’s Shop View of a Butcher’s ShopFebruary 1888
  13. Portrait of the Artist Portrait of the Artist1889
  14. The Green Wheatfield behind the Asylum The Green Wheatfield behind the Asylum1889
  15. Still Life with Bible Still Life with BibleOctober 1885
  16. Ploughed Fields (‘The Furrows’) Ploughed Fields (‘The Furrows’)September 1888
  17. The Cottage The CottageMay 1885
  18. Roses Roses1890
  19. Portrait of an Old Man Portrait of an Old ManDecember 1885
  20. Terrace of a Café at Night (Place du Forum) Terrace of a Café at Night (Place du Forum)1888
  21. Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat1887
  22. The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet) The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet)September–October 1888
  23. Field with Irises near Arles Field with Irises near Arles1888
  24. Sunflowers SunflowersJanuary 1889
  25. The Prison Court-Yard The Prison Court-Yard1890
  26. Country Road in Provence by Night Country Road in Provence by Night1890
  27. Footbridge across a Ditch Footbridge across a DitchAugust–September 1883
  28. Irises Irises1890
  29. Self-Portrait as a Painter Self-Portrait as a Painter1887–88
  30. The Green Vineyard The Green Vineyardabout 3 October 1888
  31. The Sower The Sower1888
  32. The Yellow House (The Street) The Yellow House (The Street)1888
  33. Mountains at Saint-Rémy Mountains at Saint-Rémy1889
  34. First Steps, after Millet First Steps, after Millet1890
  35. Birds’ Nests Birds’ NestsSeptember–October 1885
  36. Women on the Peat Moor Women on the Peat MoorOctober 1883
  37. Portrait of Dr Gachet Portrait of Dr GachetJune 1890
  38. The Starry Night The Starry Night1889
  39. Poppies in the Field Poppies in the Field1889
  40. Loom with Weaver Loom with WeaverApril–May 1884
  41. Cypresses Cypresses1889
  42. Moulin de la Galette Moulin de la Galette1886
  43. Corridor in the Asylum Corridor in the Asylum1889
  44. Houses Seen from the Back Houses Seen from the Back1885
  45. Self-Portrait Self-Portraitspring 1887
  46. Gauguin’s Chair Gauguin’s ChairNovember 1888
  47. Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin1888
  48. View of the Sea at Scheveningen View of the Sea at ScheveningenAugust 1882