This fan is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's famous painting The Starry Night, in which the night sky of Arles illuminates the canvas with sparkling blue hues. Painted in 1888 after he moved to the south of France, this masterful work is now housed in the Musée d'Orsay.
Upon his arrival in Arles in February...
This fan is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's famous painting The Starry Night, in which the night sky of Arles illuminates the canvas with sparkling blue hues. Painted in 1888 after he moved to the south of France, this masterful work is now housed in the Musée d'Orsay.
Upon his arrival in Arles in February 1888, Vincent Van Gogh became fascinated with 'night effects'. This quest culminated in The Starry Night, an oil on canvas (73 × 92 cm) painted in September 1888, capturing the night-time view of the Rhône.
Van Gogh transcends the representation of reality to offer a personal interpretation of the night sky. Blues dominate (Prussian, ultramarine, cobalt), while the gas lights shine with an intense orange and are reflected in the water. The stars twinkle 'like precious stones', creating a gentle atmosphere reinforced by the presence of a couple in love.
Other versions of The Starry Night
The Starry Night, housed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, is one of Vincent van Gogh's most iconic works. Painted in June 1889 in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, this oil on canvas measuring 73.7 × 92.1 cm differs from the Arles version in its more tormented and visionary character.
To learn more about the work
Where is Van Gogh's Starry Night on display?
The Starry Night in Arles (1888) is kept at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Van Gogh painted a second version in 1889 in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, which is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and has a more intense atmosphere.
Who painted Starry Night?
Starry Night is the work of the famous Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890). Painted in 1888 during his stay in Arles, this iconic canvas demonstrates the artist's unique mastery of the brush and his revolutionary approach to colour.
How many versions of The Starry Night did Van Gogh paint?
Vincent Van Gogh produced two main versions of The Starry Night. The first, painted in Arles in 1888, depicts the Rhône with luminous reflections on the water and a couple in love in the foreground. The second, created in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in 1889, features a more turbulent sky with flaming cypress trees, reflecting the restless night of his troubled mind.
What is the story behind Van Gogh's Starry Night?
Painted in September 1888 in Arles, this work represents the culmination of an artistic quest. In his letters to his brother Theo, Van Gogh expresses his deep sense of turmoil and his fascination with 'night effects'. The painting, created on the banks of the Rhône, captures the night-time view of the city under a sky vibrant with stars.
Which city is depicted in Van Gogh's Starry Night?
The city of Arles, in the south of France, is depicted in this masterful work. Van Gogh captures the night-time view of the Rhône with its street lamps, whose orange lights are reflected on the river's surface, creating a striking contrast with the deep blue sky dotted with twinkling stars.
