The Night Café
Vincent van Gogh · 1888
Why it's great
Van Gogh painted a late-night café in Arles with clashing reds and greens and harsh lamps glowing. He said he wanted to show a place where people could 'ruin themselves, go mad or commit a crime.' The bold colors are meant to feel uneasy. It's famous as an example of how colors alone can create a mood, and it changed the way many artists used them.
Where to see it
📍 Yale University Art GalleryNew Haven, United States
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Vincent van Gogh was born in a small village in the Netherlands and worked as a teacher and art dealer before becoming a painter at age 27. He lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paris, and finally the sunny south of France, where his colors grew brighter and bolder. He painted more than 800 paintings in about a decade, yet sold almost none while alive. After his death at 37, his brother's family helped make him one of the most loved artists in history.
