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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. 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
  2. Pietà (after Delacroix) Pietà (after Delacroix)September 1889
  3. Pine Trees at Sunset Pine Trees at SunsetDecember 1889
  4. Portrait of Dr Gachet Portrait of Dr GachetJune 1890
  5. L’Arlésienne (Portrait of Madame Ginoux) L’Arlésienne (Portrait of Madame Ginoux)1890
  6. View of the Sea at Scheveningen View of the Sea at ScheveningenAugust 1882
  7. The Cottage The CottageMay 1885
  8. The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  9. Irises Irises1890
  10. The De Ruijterkade in Amsterdam The De Ruijterkade in AmsterdamOctober 1885
  11. Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette1886
  12. The Yellow House (The Street) The Yellow House (The Street)1888
  13. La Maison de La Crau (The Old Mill) La Maison de La Crau (The Old Mill)1888
  14. Portrait of the Artist Portrait of the Artist1889
  15. The Raising of Lazarus (after Rembrandt) The Raising of Lazarus (after Rembrandt)May 1890
  16. Self-Portrait with Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Felt HatDecember 1886 – January 1887
  17. The Harvest The HarvestJune 1888
  18. Cypresses Cypresses1889
  19. Wheat Field with Reaper and Sun Wheat Field with Reaper and SunJune–September 1889
  20. Portrait of an Old Man Portrait of an Old ManDecember 1885
  21. Mountains at Saint-Rémy Mountains at Saint-Rémy1889
  22. The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’) The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’)May–June 1885
  23. Country Road in Provence by Night Country Road in Provence by Night1890
  24. Birds’ Nests Birds’ NestsSeptember–October 1885
  25. The Starry Night The Starry Night1889
  26. Landscape with Rising Sun Landscape with Rising Sun1889
  27. The Sower The Sower1888
  28. La Mousmé La Mousmé1888
  29. Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear1889
  30. The Church at Auvers The Church at Auvers1890
  31. Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles) Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles)1888
  32. First Steps, after Millet First Steps, after Millet1890
  33. Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat1887
  34. The Prison Court-Yard The Prison Court-Yard1890
  35. Corridor in the Asylum Corridor in the Asylum1889
  36. Street and Stairs with Five Figures Street and Stairs with Five Figures1890
  37. Starry Night over the Rhône Starry Night over the RhôneSeptember 1888
  38. Portrait of Madame Trabuc Portrait of Madame Trabucautumn 1889
  39. The Red Vineyard: Montmajour The Red Vineyard: Montmajour1888
  40. Portrait of Trabuc, an Attendant at Saint Paul’s Hospital Portrait of Trabuc, an Attendant at Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  41. The Green Wheatfield behind the Asylum The Green Wheatfield behind the Asylum1889
  42. Gauguin’s Chair Gauguin’s ChairNovember 1888
  43. View from Vincent’s Studio View from Vincent’s StudioJune 1886
  44. Cows in the Meadow Cows in the Meadow1883
  45. The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet) The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet)September–October 1888
  46. Le café de nuit (The Night Café) Le café de nuit (The Night Café)1888
  47. The Green Vineyard The Green Vineyardabout 3 October 1888
  48. Women on the Peat Moor Women on the Peat MoorOctober 1883