"Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night, The"

Vincent Van Gogh - Oil
This painting is also known as The Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum. It is not signed, but described and mentioned by the artist in his letters on various occasions—and, as well, there is a large pen drawing of the composition which originates from the artist’s estate. Still today, visitors of the site can take the place at the north eastern corner of the Place du Forum where the artist set up his easel. He looked south towards the artificially lit terrace of the popular coffee house as well as into the enforced darkness of the rue du Palais leading up to the building structure far back comprising the town house (to the left, not pictured) and, beyond this structure, the tower of a former church (now Musée lapidaire). Towards the right, Van Gogh indicated a shop lighted as well, and some branches of the trees surrounding the place—but he omitted the remainders of the roman monuments just aside this little shop. The painting is currently at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.