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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. Portrait of an Old Man Portrait of an Old ManDecember 1885
  2. Birds’ Nests Birds’ NestsSeptember–October 1885
  3. The White Orchard The White OrchardApril 1888
  4. The Prison Court-Yard The Prison Court-Yard1890
  5. Flower Beds in Holland Flower Beds in Holland1883
  6. A View of Arles A View of Arles1889
  7. Wheatfield with Crows Wheatfield with Crows1890
  8. Self-Portrait Self-Portrait1889
  9. 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
  10. The Red Vineyard: Montmajour The Red Vineyard: Montmajour1888
  11. Corridor in the Asylum Corridor in the Asylum1889
  12. Le café de nuit (The Night Café) Le café de nuit (The Night Café)1888
  13. Sunflowers SunflowersJanuary 1889
  14. Self-Portrait Self-Portraitspring 1887
  15. Portrait of Dr Gachet Portrait of Dr GachetJune 1890
  16. The Olive Trees The Olive Trees1889
  17. The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  18. Women Picking Olives Women Picking Olives1889
  19. Women on the Peat Moor Women on the Peat MoorOctober 1883
  20. La Maison de La Crau (The Old Mill) La Maison de La Crau (The Old Mill)1888
  21. Fisherman’s Wife Fisherman’s Wifeearly August 1883
  22. Gauguin’s Chair Gauguin’s ChairNovember 1888
  23. Ears of Wheat Ears of WheatJune 1890
  24. 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
  25. The Cottage The CottageMay 1885
  26. The Smoker (Le Fumeur) The Smoker (Le Fumeur)February 1888
  27. Shoes Shoes1886
  28. The Siesta The Siesta1889–90
  29. Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers Still Life: Vase with Twelve SunflowersAugust 1888
  30. The Zouave The ZouaveJune 1888
  31. Café Table with Absinthe Café Table with Absinthe1887
  32. Irises Irises1890
  33. Field with Irises near Arles Field with Irises near Arles1888
  34. Poplars near Nuenen Poplars near Nuenen1885
  35. Country Road in Provence by Night Country Road in Provence by Night1890
  36. Cows in the Meadow Cows in the Meadow1883
  37. Landscape with Rising Sun Landscape with Rising Sun1889
  38. The Church at Auvers The Church at Auvers1890
  39. Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen1884, finished in autumn 1885
  40. Terrace of a Café at Night (Place du Forum) Terrace of a Café at Night (Place du Forum)1888
  41. Reminiscence of Brabant Reminiscence of BrabantMarch–April 1890
  42. View from Vincent’s Studio View from Vincent’s StudioJune 1886
  43. La Mousmé La Mousmé1888
  44. Houses Seen from the Back Houses Seen from the Back1885

  45. Principal work of the exhibition

    Avenue of Poplars in Autumn Avenue of Poplars in AutumnOctober 1884
  46. The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’) The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’)May–June 1885
  47. Portrait of Madame Trabuc Portrait of Madame Trabucautumn 1889
  48. Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles) Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles)1888