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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 Red Vineyard: Montmajour The Red Vineyard: Montmajour1888
  2. Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles) Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles)1888
  3. The Cottage The CottageMay 1885
  4. The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’) The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’)May–June 1885
  5. The Prison Court-Yard The Prison Court-Yard1890
  6. Women Picking Olives Women Picking Olives1889
  7. Irises Irises1889
  8. Poplars near Nuenen Poplars near Nuenen1885
  9. Birds’ Nests Birds’ NestsSeptember–October 1885
  10. Landscape at Twilight Landscape at TwilightJune 1890
  11. Landscape with Rising Sun Landscape with Rising Sun1889
  12. Portrait of an Old Man Portrait of an Old ManDecember 1885
  13. Houses Seen from the Back Houses Seen from the Back1885
  14. The Bedroom at Arles The Bedroom at Arles1889
  15. View from Vincent’s Studio View from Vincent’s StudioJune 1886
  16. L’Arlésienne (Portrait of Madame Ginoux) L’Arlésienne (Portrait of Madame Ginoux)1890
  17. Wheat Field with Reaper and Sun Wheat Field with Reaper and SunJune–September 1889
  18. Flower Beds in Holland Flower Beds in Holland1883
  19. The Green Vineyard The Green Vineyardabout 3 October 1888
  20. Corridor in the Asylum Corridor in the Asylum1889
  21. Cypresses Cypresses1889
  22. The Harvest The HarvestJune 1888
  23. Cows in the Meadow Cows in the Meadow1883
  24. Self-Portrait as a Painter Self-Portrait as a Painter1887–88
  25. Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat1887
  26. Pink Peach Trees (‘Souvenir de Mauve’) Pink Peach Trees (‘Souvenir de Mauve’)about 30 March 1888
  27. La Mousmé La Mousmé1888
  28. La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustine-Alix Pellicot Roulin, 1851–1930) La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustine-Alix Pellicot Roulin, 1851–1930)1889
  29. Peasants Planting Potatoes Peasants Planting Potatoes1884
  30. Vegetable Gardens in Montmartre Vegetable Gardens in Montmartre1887
  31. Café Table with Absinthe Café Table with Absinthe1887
  32. The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet) The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet)September–October 1888
  33. Portrait of the Artist Portrait of the Artist1889
  34. The Olive Trees The Olive Trees1889
  35. Still Life with Bible Still Life with BibleOctober 1885
  36. Loom with Weaver Loom with WeaverApril–May 1884
  37. Fisherman’s Wife Fisherman’s Wifeearly August 1883
  38. Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin1888
  39. Self-Portrait with Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Felt HatDecember 1886 – January 1887
  40. Irises Irises1890
  41. Green Wheat Field Green Wheat Field1889
  42. Ploughed Fields (‘The Furrows’) Ploughed Fields (‘The Furrows’)September 1888
  43. Irises Irises1890

  44. Principal work of the exhibition

    Avenue of Poplars in Autumn Avenue of Poplars in AutumnOctober 1884
  45. Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette1886
  46. Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers Still Life: Vase with Twelve SunflowersAugust 1888
  47. Olive Trees Olive Trees1889
  48. The Starry Night The Starry Night1889