Art History

The Starry Night: How Van Gogh Painted His Most Famous Night From Memory

Van Gogh painted The Starry Night in 1889 from memory, in his asylum studio at Saint-Rémy. Here is what he actually saw, and what he changed.

Café Terrace at Night: Van Gogh's 1888 Painting Explained

Van Gogh's Café Terrace at Night, painted in Arles in September 1888. The yellow lantern, the absent black, the Kröller-Müller home, and what it teaches painters today.

Starry Night Over the Rhône: Van Gogh's First Real Night Painting

Van Gogh's Starry Night Over the Rhône, painted September 1888 in Arles. The Big Dipper out of place, the gas-lamp reflections, the Musée d'Orsay home, and what it teaches painters today.