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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.’

I

Holland

1882–1885 · The Hague · Drenthe · Nuenen · 19 works

Goed – gesteld dat alles ware precies zoo, dan zou ik door mijn werk eens willen toonen wat er zit in ’t hart van zoo’n zonderling, van zoo’n niemand.

Very well: supposing everything were exactly so, then I should like to show through my work what lies in the heart of such an oddity, of such a nobody. To Theo van Gogh, The Hague, about 21 July 1882 · letter 249
  1. View of the Sea at Scheveningen View of the Sea at ScheveningenAugust 1882
  2. Fisherman’s Wife Fisherman’s Wifeearly August 1883
  3. Flower Beds in Holland Flower Beds in Holland1883
  4. Footbridge across a Ditch Footbridge across a DitchAugust–September 1883
  5. Cows in the Meadow Cows in the Meadow1883
  6. Women on the Peat Moor Women on the Peat MoorOctober 1883
  7. Farm with Stacks of Peat Farm with Stacks of PeatOctober 1883
  8. Loom with Weaver Loom with WeaverApril–May 1884
  9. The Old Tower in the Fields The Old Tower in the FieldsAugust 1884
  10. Peasants Planting Potatoes Peasants Planting Potatoes1884
  11. Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen1884, finished in autumn 1885

  12. Principal work of the exhibition

    Avenue of Poplars in Autumn Avenue of Poplars in AutumnOctober 1884
  13. Evening Landscape Evening Landscape1885
  14. The Potato Eaters The Potato Eaters1885
  15. The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’) The Old Church Tower at Nuenen (‘The Peasants’ Churchyard’)May–June 1885
  16. The Cottage The CottageMay 1885
  17. Birds’ Nests Birds’ NestsSeptember–October 1885
  18. Still Life with Bible Still Life with BibleOctober 1885
  19. Poplars near Nuenen Poplars near Nuenen1885

II

Antwerp and Paris

1885–1888 · Antwerp · Paris · 13 works

So as we said at the time in COLOUR seeking life, the true drawing is modelling with colour.

To Horace Mann Livens, Paris, September or October 1886; written in English · letter 569
  1. Houses Seen from the Back Houses Seen from the Back1885
  2. Portrait of an Old Man Portrait of an Old ManDecember 1885
  3. The De Ruijterkade in Amsterdam The De Ruijterkade in AmsterdamOctober 1885
  4. Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette1886
  5. Self-Portrait with Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Felt HatDecember 1886 – January 1887
  6. View from Vincent’s Studio View from Vincent’s StudioJune 1886
  7. Shoes Shoes1886
  8. Moulin de la Galette Moulin de la Galette1886
  9. Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat1887
  10. Café Table with Absinthe Café Table with Absinthe1887
  11. Vegetable Gardens in Montmartre Vegetable Gardens in Montmartre1887
  12. Self-Portrait Self-Portraitspring 1887
  13. Self-Portrait as a Painter Self-Portrait as a Painter1887–88

III

Arles

1888–1889 · Arles · Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer · 30 works

Mais, mon cher frère – tu sais je me sens au Japon.

But, my dear brother – you know, I feel I am in Japan. To Theo van Gogh, Arles, about 16 March 1888 · letter 585
  1. View of a Butcher’s Shop View of a Butcher’s ShopFebruary 1888
  2. Bridge at Arles (Pont de Langlois) Bridge at Arles (Pont de Langlois)1888
  3. The White Orchard The White OrchardApril 1888
  4. Pink Peach Trees (‘Souvenir de Mauve’) Pink Peach Trees (‘Souvenir de Mauve’)about 30 March 1888
  5. Field with Irises near Arles Field with Irises near Arles1888
  6. The Harvest The HarvestJune 1888
  7. 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
  8. The Sower The Sower1888
  9. The Zouave The ZouaveJune 1888
  10. La Mousmé La Mousmé1888
  11. Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers Still Life: Vase with Twelve SunflowersAugust 1888
  12. Le café de nuit (The Night Café) Le café de nuit (The Night Café)1888
  13. La Maison de La Crau (The Old Mill) La Maison de La Crau (The Old Mill)1888
  14. Terrace of a Café at Night (Place du Forum) Terrace of a Café at Night (Place du Forum)1888
  15. Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin1888
  16. Entrance to the Public Gardens in Arles Entrance to the Public Gardens in Arles1888
  17. Ploughed Fields (‘The Furrows’) Ploughed Fields (‘The Furrows’)September 1888
  18. The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet) The Lover (Portrait of Lieutenant Milliet)September–October 1888
  19. The Yellow House (The Street) The Yellow House (The Street)1888
  20. Starry Night over the Rhône Starry Night over the RhôneSeptember 1888
  21. The Green Vineyard The Green Vineyardabout 3 October 1888
  22. The Red Vineyard: Montmajour The Red Vineyard: Montmajour1888
  23. Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles) Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles)1888
  24. Gauguin’s Chair Gauguin’s ChairNovember 1888
  25. The Smoker (Le Fumeur) The Smoker (Le Fumeur)February 1888
  26. Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear1889
  27. Sunflowers SunflowersJanuary 1889
  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. The Postman (Joseph-Étienne Roulin) The Postman (Joseph-Étienne Roulin)1889
  30. A View of Arles A View of Arles1889

IV

Saint-Rémy

1889–1890 · The Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum · 32 works

Mais dans cette mort rien de triste, cela se passe en pleine lumière avec un soleil qui inonde tout d’une lumière d’or fin.

But in this death there is nothing sad; it happens in broad daylight, with a sun that floods everything with a light of fine gold. To Theo van Gogh, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, 5 and 6 September 1889, on ‘The Reaper’ · letter 800
  1. Irises Irises1889
  2. Green Wheat Field Green Wheat Field1889
  3. The Green Wheatfield behind the Asylum The Green Wheatfield behind the Asylum1889
  4. The Starry Night The Starry Night1889
  5. The Olive Trees The Olive Trees1889
  6. Cypresses Cypresses1889
  7. Poppies in the Field Poppies in the Field1889
  8. Wheat Field with Reaper and Sun Wheat Field with Reaper and SunJune–September 1889
  9. Mountains at Saint-Rémy Mountains at Saint-Rémy1889
  10. Self-Portrait Self-Portrait1889
  11. Portrait of the Artist Portrait of the Artist1889
  12. Portrait of Trabuc, an Attendant at Saint Paul’s Hospital Portrait of Trabuc, an Attendant at Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  13. Pietà (after Delacroix) Pietà (after Delacroix)September 1889
  14. Portrait of Madame Trabuc Portrait of Madame Trabucautumn 1889
  15. The Bedroom at Arles The Bedroom at Arles1889
  16. The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital The Garden of Saint Paul’s Hospital1889
  17. Corridor in the Asylum Corridor in the Asylum1889
  18. Pine Trees at Sunset Pine Trees at SunsetDecember 1889
  19. Olive Trees Olive Trees1889
  20. The Road Menders The Road Menders1889
  21. Landscape with Rising Sun Landscape with Rising Sun1889
  22. Women Picking Olives Women Picking Olives1889
  23. The Siesta The Siesta1889–90
  24. First Steps, after Millet First Steps, after Millet1890
  25. The Prison Court-Yard The Prison Court-Yard1890
  26. L’Arlésienne (Portrait of Madame Ginoux) L’Arlésienne (Portrait of Madame Ginoux)1890
  27. Reminiscence of Brabant Reminiscence of BrabantMarch–April 1890
  28. The Raising of Lazarus (after Rembrandt) The Raising of Lazarus (after Rembrandt)May 1890
  29. Irises Irises1890
  30. Irises Irises1890
  31. Roses Roses1890
  32. Country Road in Provence by Night Country Road in Provence by Night1890

V

Auvers

1890 · Auvers-sur-Oise · 6 works

Ce sont d’immenses étendues de blés sous des ciels troublés et je ne me suis pas gêné pour chercher à exprimer de la tristesse, de la solitude extrême.

They are immense stretches of wheat under troubled skies, and I have not held back from trying to express sadness, extreme solitude. To Theo and Jo van Gogh, Auvers-sur-Oise, about 10 July 1890 · letter 898
  1. The Church at Auvers The Church at Auvers1890
  2. Portrait of Dr Gachet Portrait of Dr GachetJune 1890
  3. Ears of Wheat Ears of WheatJune 1890
  4. Landscape at Twilight Landscape at TwilightJune 1890
  5. Street and Stairs with Five Figures Street and Stairs with Five Figures1890
  6. Wheatfield with Crows Wheatfield with Crows1890