The Cafe Terrace on the Place Du Forum, Arles, at Night

Café Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh is one of the most beloved works of Post-Impressionism, painted in September 1888 during the artist’s stay in Arles, France. Executed in oil on canvas, this 81 cm x 81 cm masterpiece marks Van Gogh’s first nocturnal scene—a creative breakthrough that preceded his more famous Starry Night by nearly a year.

Set at the Place du Forum in Arles, the painting captures a café illuminated under a star-filled sky, viewed from the northeastern corner of the square. The glowing terrace, lantern-lit with rich yellow tones, contrasts with the cool blues and purples of the cobbled street and surrounding architecture. Van Gogh’s distinctive brushstrokes and contrasting color palette create a vibrant, almost musical harmony between light and shadow, structure and atmosphere.

Though unsigned, the authenticity of the painting is confirmed through Van Gogh’s correspondence with his brother Theo, his sister Willemina, and artist Eugène Boch. The artist also left a detailed pen drawing of the composition. Originally titled Coffee House, in the Evening when first exhibited in 1891, the painting later became known as Café Terrace at Night, or by its alternative names: Terrasse du café le soir, Terrasse de café au place du Forum, and Café Terras.

This work was created on a size 25 canvas, and Van Gogh set up his easel directly in front of what is now known as Café Van Gogh. It is painted in cloisonnist style, with dark contours defining flat zones of luminous color. Art historians have noted the Japanese influence in the awning’s pagoda-like shape and lantern-like legs, along with the Japoniste styling of the figures in the scene.

Van Gogh was deeply influenced by his personal struggles at the time, including emotional and mental health challenges, and a growing spiritual yearning that he channeled into his art. In a letter to Theo, he famously wrote, “That doesn’t stop me having a terrible need for — dare I say the word — for religion. So I go outside at night to paint the stars.”

While this painting is said to have been partially inspired by Louis Anquetin’s Avenue de Clichy: Five O’Clock in the Evening, Van Gogh’s rendering is uniquely his own. It was the first of his night sky paintings, laying the groundwork for Starry Night over the Rhône and the iconic Starry Night itself.

Today, Café Terrace at Night is housed at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands, home to the second-largest collection of Van Gogh’s works. Both the painting and the real café it depicts continue to captivate visitors with their enduring charm, sense of intimacy, and expressive portrayal of the night.