Where did Van Gogh paint Café Terrace at Night?
Van Gogh painted Café Terrace at Night in Arles, France, in mid-September 1888. The painting is not signed, but described and mentioned by the artist in three letters. Visitors to the site can stand at the north eastern corner of the Place du Forum, where the artist set up his easel.
What is the subject matter of Café Terrace at Night?
One notable aspect of the painting is its brightness, although the subject matter is the terrace of a cafe at night time. Van Gogh manages to brighten up the painting with over-sized, bright yellow stars that appear to make the sky glow, alongside the lights that pour out of the cafe.
What elements of art are used in Café Terrace at Night?
Elements of Art - this aesthetic criteria exemplifies why Cafe Terrace at Night is a work of art. Van Gogh is known for is Impressionist style paintings. His use of line, texture and vivid colors are almost immediately recognizable. The colors in this painting are bold and vibrant.
How does Café Terrace at Night make you feel?
Van Gogh worked wonders with oil paints which made the unreachable feel almost accessible, placing us into different scenes and seasons through his impressionist strokes. Cafe Terrace does just that, it allows us to feel the soothing breeze of nighttime in the beautiful city of Arles without having to be there; ...
Who Was Vincent van Gogh?
Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Post-Impressionist artist born in the Netherlands in the town of Zundert; his day and year of birth were March 30, 18...
Could It Be Based on Religious Fervor?
There are various scholarly debates about the possible reasons why Vincent van Gogh painted Café Terrace at Night. Some believe it was because of h...
Is Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night (1888) Part of a Series?
Although Van Gogh painted Café Terrace at Night as a stand-alone painting, it was part of his series of paintings that explored the night and the s...
What Is the Café Terrace at Night Real Location?
The Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night real location is in the village of Arles’ Place du Forum in the southern parts of France. The café is real and...
Where Is Vincent van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night (1888) Painting Now?
Café Terrace at Night (1888) is now housed at the Kröller-Müller Museum located in Otterlo, Gelderland, in the Netherlands.
Artist Abstract: Who Was Vincent van Gogh?
Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Post-Impressionist artist born in the Netherlands in the town of Zundert; his day and year of birth were March 30, 1853. Van Gogh grew up exploring art and he was under the tutelage of Constant Cornelis Huijsmans when he attended a school in Tilburg.
Café Terrace at Night (1888) by Vincent van Gogh in Context
Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night should not be confused with his other famous night scene painting that often steals the show titled, The Starry Night, which was painted in 1889, only a few months after.
Formal Analysis: A Brief Compositional Overview
Café Terrace at Night was initially titled Coffeehouse, in the evening, or in French, Café, le soir, and it was this name that was also used for its initial exhibition in 1891. When Van Gogh painted it he spent his time studying the night sky and his nightly surroundings like the café at the Place du Forum.
Interesting Facts and Possible Inspiration
From the same letter to his sister mentioned above, Van Gogh was possibly inspired by the novel Bel-Ami (1885) by Guy de Maupassant and the type of setting that relates to his subject matter for Café Terrace at Night.
Van Gogh: A Jewel Amongst the Stars
Vincent van Gogh produced nightly painted scenes that truly shone like the beacons of light they portrayed, whether stars or artificial light. In Café Terrace at Night Van Gogh painted a scene at night that exemplified his love for color and how this gave the night a new hue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although Van Gogh painted Café Terrace at Night as a stand-alone painting, it was part of his series of paintings that explored the night and the stars.
Who painted the cafe terrace at night?
Café Terrace at Night, 1888 by Vincent Van Gogh. This painting of a colorful outdoor view is a picturesque work, the vision of a relaxed spectator who enjoys the charm of his surrounding without any moral concern.
Which Van Gogh painting holds the first place?
Van Gogh's "Starry Night" holds first place. 10. The positions of the stars in the night sky of "Café Terrace at Night" is accurate, according to astronomical data.
What is the silhouette of the starry sky?
The silhouette of the starry sky is key to the patterning of the whole; the poetic idea of the work - the double illumination and contrast of the cafe and the night sky - is developed through this jagged form. In the silhouette of the orange cafe floor and the adjoining window and doors, we discover the inverted shape of the blue sky; the scattered disks of the stars are matched in the elliptical tabletops below.
What is the contrast between the marquise and the starry sky?
The most eye-catching aspect of the painting is the sharp contrast between the warm yellow, green and orange colours under the marquise and the deep blue of the starry sky, which is reinforced by the dark blue of the houses in the background. Van Gogh was pleased with the effect: "I believe that an abundance of gaslight, which, after all, ...
What is the name of the painting that features Van Gogh's star-filled sky?
4. Van Gogh's iconic Post-Impressionistic star-filled sky appears for the first time in his "Café Terrace at Night.". 5. "Café Terrace at Night" is one of three Arles paintings that feature Van Gogh's distinctive star-filled sky.
How many people are in the painting Van Gogh?
Indeed, a close study of the painting reveals that the main characters include one central figure with long hair surrounded by 12 individuals, plus a cross shines in the background of the composition, and Van Gogh has included additional cross-like shapes throughout the artwork.
Is the café in the painting Van Gogh still in existence?
The café in the painting is still in existence, renamed the Café Van Gogh. 9. "Café Terrace at Night" ranks second in a list of the top ten most reproduced artworks from 2000 to 2010. Van Gogh's "Starry Night" holds first place.
Where was Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night painted?
Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night, showing outdoor tables, a street scene and the night sky, was painted in Arles at about the same time.
What color is the ceiling in Van Gogh's painting?
In wildly contrasting, vivid colours, the ceiling is green, the upper walls red, the glowing, gas ceiling lamps and floor largely yellow. The paint is applied thickly, with many of the lines of the room leading toward the door in the back. The perspective looks somewhat downward toward the floor. In a jocular passage of a letter Van Gogh wrote his ...
Who wrote the letter to Van Gogh's brother?
In a jocular passage of a letter Van Gogh wrote his brother, Theo, the artist said Ginoux had taken so much of his money that he'd told the cafe owner it was time to take his revenge by painting the place. Today I am probably going to begin on the interior of the cafe where I have a room, by gas light, in the evening.
What size canvas is Night Cafe?
The Night Cafe, 1888 by Vincent Van Gogh. The painting was executed on industrial primed canvas of size 30 (French standard). It depicts the interior of the cafe, with a half-curtained doorway in the center background leading, presumably, to more private quarters.
Where was the night café by Vincent van Gogh painted?
Night Café by Van Gogh was painted in September 1888 while he was living in Arles. Earlier in the year he had moved to a room at the Café de la Gare, where the room depicted in this painting was. Van Gogh stayed there for a few months over the summer while he furnished what would become known as “The Yellow House”, where he would famously live with Gauguin for a brief time.#N#In the center of the canvas Van Gogh shows a billiards table not being used. We see 3 walls of the room with a door opposite the viewer. The walls are lined with tables and chairs, some occupied by figures, hunched over the tables. Most of the six figures are men, but there is a woman at one table. Standing close to the pool table, leaning on another table is a standing figure wearing white, the owner of the café. On the far wall by the door there is a bar with bottles on top and a vase of flowers in the center. Van Gogh’s exaggerated perspective creates disorienting angles and results with the majority of the painting being filled with the deep yellow floor. The walls are a rich red, contrasting with the yellow floors and yellow lights hanging from the ceiling.
What did Vincent write about Van Gogh?
In one such letter, he said “the night is much more alive and richly colored than the day.”. Prior to painting Night Café, Vincent wrote that he was planning to paint the room and the “Night prowlers” as he called those ...
What does Van Gogh call the painting "ugliest I've done"?
In a letter to his brother, Van Gogh called the painting “the ugliest I’ve done” and gave it to Joseph Ginoux the owner of the café as payment for his room. His calling the painting ugly is also a description of the room and the feeling you get from it. In his description of the painting, he uses words like “blood-red” to describe the color on ...
What does the harsh colors and disorienting perspective reflect?
The harsh colors and disorienting perspective reflect the overall sadness, bitterness, and loneliness, of those in the room. All of this adds up to an idea of if you are in this café at that late hour, something isn’t going right in your life. Van Gogh spent three nights painting this room sleeping during the day.
What color are the walls of Van Gogh's house?
The walls are a rich red, contrasting with the yellow floors and yellow lights hanging from the ceiling. Van Gogh was interested in painting night scenes, as can be seen in his paintings of Starry Night and Café Terrace at Night.
Why was Van Gogh interested in these people that stayed there?
Van Gogh was interested in these people that stayed there because they “had no money to pay for a lodging, or are too drunk to be taken in.”. He imagined that they saw themselves as travelers without a native land, and he himself imagined himself the same way.
What is the bar on the far wall by the door?
On the far wall by the door there is a bar with bottles on top and a vase of flowers in the center. Van Gogh’s exaggerated perspective creates disorienting angles and results with the majority of the painting being filled with the deep yellow floor.
What is the night café in Vincent van Gogh?
It is almost a quarter past midnight in this desolate scene. “Night Café” is one of Vincent’s most powerful communications through art of the human condition and human emotions. The other van Gogh café painting, “Café Terrace at Night,” shows the exterior of a café which still stands in Arles, though it was renamed The van Gogh Café ...
What color is Vincent's café?
Perspective and warm complementary colors draw the viewer into the painting and beyond. The graphic texture of the street’s cobblestones invite the eye toward the little café itself, with its tiny white tables on the street, repeating the spheres of Vincent’s stars hung in the Prussian blue sky. The awning and walls of the café, warm yellow, cut into the sky to enhance both colors and form the main composition.
What was Van Gogh's intention to show humanity?
It was the artist’s intention to show the lowest edge of humanity, without adornment, with as much impact and sincerity as possible. There is no doubt he succeeded.
Where was Night Café made?
His own style became much lighter, less moralistic and more rife with color. “Night Café” depicts the interior of a pool in Arles’ Place Lamartine.
Did Vincent van Gogh paint at night?
He writes, “I have a terrible need of–dare I say–religion…then I go outside at night and paint the stars.” He painted this night scene on the spot, at night, using no blacks. His father was a preacher and Vincent went into the ministry for a while. It was later that this artist, now a star himself posthumously, decided his ministry would be to find a way to give hope and consolation to humanity through his art.
What color is Van Gogh's terrace?
A huge yellow lantern lights the terrace, the façade, the pavement, and even projects light over the cobblestones of the street, which takes on a violet-pink tinge. The gables of the houses on a street that leads away under the blue sky studded ...
Why did Van Gogh use black?
Van Gogh used black for outlining and for the dark buildings in the distance. The use of black is clever—it makes the sky look alive and filled with color by comparison. “It often seems to me that night is still more richly coloured than the day; having hues of the most intense violets, blues and greens.
What are some interesting facts about Van Gogh?
Key Facts and Ideas 1 Van Gogh didn't sign the painting. Not sure why, as he signed most of his other works. 2 The painting features van Gogh's iconic depiction of a starry night, with deep blues and bright stars. He would continue this theme in Starry Night Over the Rhône (which he painted the same month), The Starry Night, and the background of The Poet: Eugène Boch. 3 Below is a preliminary sketch of the painting. It provides insight into how van Gogh thought about the composition, patterns, and details.
What is the contrast between the bright yellow and white stars and the rich blue sky?
There's a strong contrast between the bright yellow and white stars and the rich blue sky. It mimics the contrast in the foreground of the bright yellow and orange café against the cool blue and green surroundings. As mentioned earlier, van Gogh painted on location at night.
How to make a painting safer?
A safer approach might be to rely on observation but push certain elements that really speak to you. For example, say you’re painting a landscape with some beautiful flowers in the foreground. You might want to push the saturation of those flowers to draw attention to them, whilst staying true to observation for the rest of the painting.)
What color is the lighted square?
With nothing but beautiful blue, violet and green, and in these surroundings the lighted square is coloured pale sulphur, lemon green.". Vincent van Gogh in a letter to his sister, 14 September 1888. The painting features striking colors, as you might expect from van Gogh.
What is the contrast between the busy café and the rest of the painting?
The busy café is much lighter than the rest of the painting. So there's contrast in both hue (yellow against blue) and value (light against shadow). (Tip: If you really want to make a statement in your painting, overlap two or three contrasting elements.
