Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most recognizable names in art history. Having produced the Starry Night, as well as multiple iconic self-portraits, Van Gogh is the face of the post-impressionist movement. While not highly successful in life, the troubled artist gained most of his fame after his death. However, not everyone always looks at every Van Gogh painting equally. While masterpieces like The Starry Night are crucial, they aren’t the only pieces worth inspection. These artworks left behind by Vincent Van Gogh deserve appreciation that they aren’t always offered.
1. Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum
This 1888 oil painting features a cafe terrace after sunset. Also known as Cafe Terrace at Night, this post-impressionist painting is one of Van Gogh’s lesser-known works. An interesting tidbit about this painting is that it isn’t signed by the artist. It is, though, mentioned in a set of three letters in detail. Not to mention, the distinctive style can’t easily be mistaken for any other artist of the time.
Van Gogh’s most famous works are but a few out of his repertoire. Cafe Terrace At Night has elements that make it obviously a Van Gogh work. Portraying a cafe after sundown, almost all of the light in the work comes from inside the restaurant. Outside on the terrace, there is a bustling group of patrons surrounded by an otherwise quiet, nighttime street in Arles, France.
True to Van Gogh’s form, the painting isn’t an exact replica of the street from Van Gogh’s northeastern perspective of the Place du Forum. For instance, the Roman monuments that were by the shop in actuality aren’t in the oil painting.
The painting was actually done before pieces like the Starry Night. In other words, it was the first “night effect” painting that Van Gogh presented to the world, meaning it paved the way for many of his more famous works.