At Eternity’s Gate (Sorrowing Old Man)

About the artwork

A small fire burns beside the chair. The floorboards lead toward the man, and the blue strokes curve around his bent back and legs. There is little else to draw attention away from the effort of simply sitting there. His hidden face leaves the cause of his sorrow unspoken.

The 1890 painting returns to a drawing and print Van Gogh made in 1882. Writing about that earlier print in letter 288, he saw “something precious, something noble” in the old man that he could not believe was destined only for decay. The thought of God and eternity arose for him through the dignity of an ordinary person beside a hearth. That helps explain the title’s reach beyond the visible room, while keeping the 1882 letter distinct from the later canvas.

Featured in: Was Van Gogh a Christian? His Faith in 11 Paintings, and the Café Terrace “Last Supper”

What does Psalm 34:18 mean?

Psalm 34:18 speaks of God’s nearness to the brokenhearted and His care for the contrite in spirit. It belongs to a psalm that calls people to seek the LORD and also acknowledges the many afflictions of the righteous. Nearness does not mean that suffering is imaginary or already over.

Beside this painting, the promise can be considered before the man lifts his head or anything in the room changes. The hidden face gives us no account of his life to judge. The psalm directs attention toward a God who draws near to people in their distress.

We pair the old man’s unrelieved sorrow with Psalm 34:18’s promise of nearness within suffering.

Sources

Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, KM 111.041.

Was Van Gogh a Christian? His Faith in 11 Paintings. Painting history and the limits of the religious interpretation, with primary letters and museum sources.

Psalm 34 — Berean Standard Bible.

Van Gogh to Theo — letter 288. The 1882 print, ordinary human dignity, and Van Gogh’s belief in God and eternity; not a letter about the 1890 painting.