The Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night while living at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole in southern France. Its bright stars, dark cypress, and small village combine observed features with changes made in the studio.
- June 1889
- Oil on canvas
About Vincent van Gogh
A large sky above a small village
The blue area above the village occupies most of Vincent van Gogh's canvas. Rings of yellow and white surround the stars, while long blue strokes curve through the space between them. The village sits low in the picture, with tightly packed roofs and a narrow church steeple.
Look at the difference between the two kinds of marks. Short, straight lines describe the buildings. Sweeping curves fill the blue area above the village and continue along the hills. The dark cypress rises through almost the full height of the painting.
Several windows are lit, but people are too small or too far away to be visible. The enormous lights overhead draw more attention than the signs of life below.
A view rebuilt in the studio
Van Gogh made the painting in June 1889, during his stay at the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. According to MoMA, he worked on the canvas during the day over several sessions.
The view from Van Gogh's room helped supply the subject of The Starry Night, but he altered it. MoMA says he combined several village views, used a Dutch-looking church steeple, and brought the cypress closer.
Compare two ways of painting night
Café Terrace at Night, painted in Arles in 1888, builds its light around a street lamp. In The Starry Night of 1889, the strongest light comes from the stars and moon, and the steep street gives way to a broad band of hills.
The circular marks can suggest motion, but they do not establish a medical explanation for the painting. The visible choices of scale, placement, and brush direction provide firmer ground for understanding how the composition works.
The painting in New York
The painting belongs to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. MoMA acquired it in 1941 through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest, by exchange. Consult the museum's object record for current display information.
Close reading
Reading the work, detail by detail
Follow the different kinds of marks in the sky, tree, hills, and village. Their direction helps separate parts of the landscape even when the colors are similar.
1.The cypress crosses the horizon
Long dark strokes follow the branches upward. The tree overlaps both the village and the sky, making its position in the foreground clear.
2.A broad curve fills the middle of the sky
Several rows of short strokes follow one large bend. The bright curve remains visible against the darker blue even where no star marks its path.
3.The crescent has a wide halo
The crescent occupies a much larger painted area than its thin outline alone. Surrounding yellow-green strokes increase the size of its glow.
4.A pale light beside the tree
The pale rings stand out against the dark branches nearby. Unlike a tiny white dot, the repeated circles give the light weight and texture.
5.Straight lines describe the roofs
The village relies on angles, rectangles, and short straight strokes. Its compact buildings provide a visible contrast to the broad curves above.
6.The hills repeat the sky's direction
Curved bands run along the slopes. Their lower, horizontal position helps distinguish the hills from the sky's much larger loops.
Timeline
June 1889
Van Gogh painted The Starry Night at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in June 1889.
1941
In 1941, the Museum of Modern Art acquired The Starry Night through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest, by exchange.
Where to see it
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Check the collection’s website for current display and visiting information before planning a visit.
View the collection recordFrequently asked questions
Where was The Starry Night painted?
Van Gogh painted The Starry Night at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in southern France.
Was The Starry Night painted at night?
MoMA describes a painting made during the day in the studio, using observation, memory, and invention.
What is the dark shape on the left?
It is a cypress tree. Its tall branches cross the horizon and overlap the stars.
Is this Starry Night Over the Rhône?
No. Starry Night Over the Rhône is a separate Arles painting from 1888. The Starry Night dates to June 1889.
Where is the original?
The Starry Night is in MoMA's collection in New York as accession 472.1941. Temporary loans may affect its display location.
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References
The sources below include collection records, catalogues, scholarly research, and primary materials that informed this page. They document The Starry Night, its making, and its place in cultural history.
1The Starry Night: public-domain reproduction
WebsiteWikimedia CommonsUsed forThe reproduction is the primary visual source for the close-reading details; rights metadata is preserved separately.
2Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)
WebsiteThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtUsed forWeb source consulted for documented facts and historical context presented on the The Starry Night page.
View source3The Starry Night: collection record
WebsiteMuseum of Modern ArtUsed forWeb source consulted for documented facts and historical context presented on the The Starry Night page.
4Terrace of a café at night: KM 108.565
WebsiteKröller-Müller MuseumUsed forComparison with the earlier outdoor nocturne.
These references provide the documented foundation for this work's history and interpretation. Claim-level citations remain attached to the specific claims they support.
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