9 Secrets of "Café Terrace at Night"

The most eye-catching aspect of the painting is the sharp contrast between the warm yellow, green and orange colours under the marquise and the deep blue of the starry sky, which is reinforced by the dark blue of the houses in the background. Van Gogh was pleased with the effect: "I believe that an abundance of gaslight, which, after all, is yellow and orange, intensifies blue." Here is the 9 secrets of Cafe Terrace at Night. 

1) Van Gogh never signed "Café Terrace at Night"

However, he specifically mentioned the painting in three pieces of correspondence, so art historians are confident that he painted it.

2) The painting has three separate titles

At its first public exhibit in 1891, the work bore the title "Café, le soir," or Coffeehouse at Evening. Another name it goes by is "Café Terrace on the Place du Forum." 

3) Star-filled sky appears for the first time

Van Gogh's iconic Post-Impressionistic star-filled sky appears for the first time in his "Café Terrace at Night." 

4) "Café Terrace at Night" is one of three Arles paintings that feature Van Gogh's distinctive star-filled sky

Starry Night Over the Rhone and Starry Night complete the trilogy.

5) Although a night scene, the painting is devoid of the color black

Vincent states in a letter to his sister that, to him, the night is richer in color than day.

6) Vincent painted the café terrace scene on location rather than from memory

7) The café in the painting is still in existence, renamed the Café Van Gogh

8) "Café Terrace at Night" ranks second in a list of the top ten most reproduced artworks from 2000 to 2010.

Van Gogh's "Starry Night" holds first place.

9) The positions of the stars in the night sky of "Café Terrace at Night" is accurate, according to astronomical data.