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"And in a painting I’d like to say something consoling, like a piece of music."
- Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theo, Arles, 3 September 1888
Imagine the swirling colours and brushstrokes of Van Gogh’s masterpieces as melodies and harmonies that danced in his mind. That’s how he was sometimes depicting his work in his letters. As Crédit Agricole CIB invites you to contemplate Van Gogh’s paintings in what will be one of the most comprehensive exhibitions in history, we are thrilled to explore with you an intimate, hidden, yet key aspect of Van gogh: his passion for music.
Listen to our playlist, with music that Vincent van Gogh enjoyed and found inspiring. It captures the multifaceted nature of his personality: intense, tender, lonely, melancholic, curious, and playful. The playlist includes music from Van Gogh’s era, compositions reflecting the impressionistic styles of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, and pieces by artists he admired such as Richard Wagner. Each selection resonates with the complexity that defined Van Gogh's life and work, offering a glimpse into the soul of one of history's most beloved artists.
The National Gallery’s Poets and Lovers exhibition sheds light on a pivotal chapter in Van Gogh’s artistic journey during his time in Arles and Saint-Rémy, where he revolutionised his style with vibrant symphonies of colour and textured poetics. Sharing the yellow house in Arles for 63 intense days in fall 1888, Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin's collaboration, while productive, accentuated their artistic disparities. Van Gogh's output of 36 canvases contrasted with Gauguin's 21, each reflecting their divergent approaches — Van Gogh's meticulous naturalism against Gauguin's imaginative flair — culminating in Van Gogh's tragic ear mutilation and Gauguin's departure. This period’s vivid hues and emotional depth echo the profound impact of Van Gogh’s relationships and environment, solidifying his legacy as one of history’s most emotionally resonant artists.
During Vincent van Gogh’s sojourn with Paul Gauguin in the south of France, music was a vital muse, not merely a passing fancy. Van Gogh’s letters from this era often reference his profound connection to music and its influence on his creative process. He frequently likened painting to composing music, seeking to stir emotions through colour and form, akin to how composers evoke feelings through melody and harmony.
Van Gogh's profound relationship with music began in childhood, singing hymns in his father's church. He carried this passion forward during his time as a teacher in Ramsgate,England, by sharing to his brother Theo “Mornings and evenings we all read the bible and sing and pray". He also expressed his particular fondness for organs, noting in a letter how he found one church’s organ to be “loud and sweet.” He believed music could console and inspire, a quality he sought to capture in his paintings. His father, Theodorus van Gogh, emphasised that listening to music and attending musical evenings were crucial parts of becoming "a man of the world". This belief deeply influenced Vincent, intertwining his artistic journey with his musical inclinations and shaping both his creative process and worldview.
Vincent van Gogh’s fascination with music extended across a spectrum of genres, from religious psalms to popular French folk tunes and the majestic operas of Richard Wagner. He revered composers such as Beethoven, Berlioz, and especially Wagner, not only for their technical brilliance but for their profound ability to stir deep emotions through their compositions. In expressing his admiration, Van Gogh wrote to Theo, "Ah! . . . to make of painting what the music of Berlioz and Wagner has been before us . . . a consolatory art for distressed hearts!". This sentiment underscored his belief in art’s power to provide solace and emotional resonance, akin to the effect of music.
During his stay in Paris in 1887, Van Gogh lived in Montmartre concurrently with the innovative composer Erik Satie. The vibrant cultural milieu of the city exposed him to diverse musical experiences, including multiple Wagnerian concerts attended with Theo. Wagner’s music, with its paradoxical blend of intimacy within grand orchestration, profoundly influenced Van Gogh’s artistic sensibilities. This influence can be seen in his aspiration to imbue his paintings with the same emotional depth and expressive power that he found in Wagner’s musical compositions. Reflecting on his attempt to learn the piano, Van Gogh remarked to Theo, "So strongly did I feel the connections there are between our colour and Wagner’s music." This intimate link between music and colour became pivotal in Van Gogh’s artistic evolution, shaping not only his choice of hues but also the emotive quality that permeates his paintings.
Vincent van Gogh was not alone in his deep connection to music among visual artists. He is actually part of a long lasting tradition. Leonard de Vinci, Tintoretto and Ingres were exceptional musicians themselves. Rodin loved Opera, Delacroix is said to have painted the Saint Sulpice church of Paris to the accompaniment of an organ. Matisse was hosting classical music concerts at his place,... XXth century makes no exception: Wassily Kandinsky, a trailblazer in abstract art, believed in the synesthetic qualities of art and music, where colours and forms correspond to musical tones. His vibrant compositions aimed to evoke the emotional power of music through abstract shapes and intense colours. Paul Klee also integrated his love for music into his art, using musical terminology in titles and compositions to convey rhythm and harmony visually. Joan Miró, known for his playful and surreal style, infused his artworks with spontaneity and lyrical abstraction inspired by the improvisational nature of music. These artists, like Van Gogh, exemplify the meaningful relationship between visual arts and music, enriching both disciplines with their creative visions.
