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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. The Prison Court-Yard The Prison Court-Yard1890
  2. The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet) The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet)September–October 1888
  3. Poppies in the Field Poppies in the Field1889
  4. Landscape at Twilight Landscape at TwilightJune 1890
  5. Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear1889
  6. Starry Night over the Rhône Starry Night over the RhôneSeptember 1888
  7. View of the Sea at Scheveningen View of the Sea at ScheveningenAugust 1882
  8. Mountains at Saint-Rémy Mountains at Saint-Rémy1889
  9. Café Table with Absinthe Café Table with Absinthe1887
  10. The Postman (Joseph-Étienne Roulin) The Postman (Joseph-Étienne Roulin)1889
  11. Houses Seen from the Back Houses Seen from the Back1885
  12. The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  13. Flower Beds in Holland Flower Beds in Holland1883
  14. Self-Portrait with Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Felt HatDecember 1886 – January 1887
  15. Irises Irises1889
  16. Loom with Weaver Loom with WeaverApril–May 1884
  17. Roses Roses1890
  18. Cows in the Meadow Cows in the Meadow1883
  19. Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles) Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles)1888
  20. Birds’ Nests Birds’ NestsSeptember–October 1885
  21. Wheat Field with Reaper and Sun Wheat Field with Reaper and SunJune–September 1889
  22. Sunflowers SunflowersJanuary 1889
  23. View of a Butcher’s Shop View of a Butcher’s ShopFebruary 1888
  24. Corridor in the Asylum Corridor in the Asylum1889
  25. The Sower The Sower1888
  26. Moulin de la Galette Moulin de la Galette1886
  27. Farm with Stacks of Peat Farm with Stacks of PeatOctober 1883
  28. Portrait of Trabuc, an Attendant at Saint Paul’s Hospital Portrait of Trabuc, an Attendant at Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  29. The Cottage The CottageMay 1885
  30. Landscape with Rising Sun Landscape with Rising Sun1889
  31. Irises Irises1890
  32. The Green Vineyard The Green Vineyardabout 3 October 1888
  33. The De Ruijterkade in Amsterdam The De Ruijterkade in AmsterdamOctober 1885
  34. Women Picking Olives Women Picking Olives1889
  35. Portrait of Dr Gachet Portrait of Dr GachetJune 1890
  36. View from Vincent’s Studio View from Vincent’s StudioJune 1886
  37. A View of Arles A View of Arles1889
  38. The Raising of Lazarus (after Rembrandt) The Raising of Lazarus (after Rembrandt)May 1890
  39. Shoes Shoes1886
  40. First Steps, after Millet First Steps, after Millet1890
  41. Portrait of the Artist Portrait of the Artist1889
  42. Fishing Boats on the Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer Fishing Boats on the Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-MerJune 1888
  43. Evening Landscape Evening Landscape1885
  44. Portrait of an Old Man Portrait of an Old ManDecember 1885
  45. Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers Still Life: Vase with Twelve SunflowersAugust 1888
  46. Irises Irises1890
  47. The Bedroom at Arles The Bedroom at Arles1889
  48. Ears of Wheat Ears of WheatJune 1890