Deeper Dive: A Conservator’s Visit to Van Gogh’s Asylum

Art can contain traces of how, when, and where it was made—and conservators are the experts who get up close and personal to reveal those stories. When Getty paintings conservator Devi Ormond discovered a bit of a mysterious something stuck to the paint in Vincent van Gogh’s Irises (1889), she arranged a trip to the site where it was painted—the Monastery of Saint Paul de Mausole at Saint Rémy in Provence, France. Ormond speaks with host Lilit Sadoyan about how this visit gave her new and deeply personal insights into the location, the painting, and van Gogh’s experience making it.

You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS

If you missed this week’s sensory awareness meditation inspired by Irises, look for it on your podcast player or find it on our website here: https://review.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/sensory-awareness-meditation-with-van-gogh-irises/

Subscribe to the show to be the first to hear new episodes on Tuesdays and bonus episodes on Thursdays.

Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/sensory-awareness-meditation-with-van-gogh-irises/

See Irises in person at the Getty Center: https://www.getty.edu/visit/

Production team:

Host: Lilit Sadoyan

Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower

Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque

Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle



For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts

• Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/
• If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/
• ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/
• Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/

Watch our YouTube series Becoming Artsy, where host Jessie Hendricks dives headfirst into understanding the art world through hands-on explorations: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLij2XTFgmBSQ0KxxtvqwZnQPX7Ag9eqFn&si=TuZtMHO0ZXcDoR6-

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch lectures, interviews, and more from the world of art, conservation, and cultural heritage: https://www.youtube.com/@gettymuseum

Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world.

Learn more about all we do for art on our website:

• Getty: https://www.getty.edu/
• Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/
• Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/
• Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/
• Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/