What you are looking at
The inside of an all-night café in Arles, with blood red walls, a green ceiling, a pool table and glaring yellow lamps, and a few customers slumped at tables.
Why it is famous
Van Gogh painted it in September 1888 and wrote to his brother that he had tried to express the terrible passions of humanity with red and green.
How big is The Night Café?
The Night Café measures 72.4 × 92.1 cm (28.5 × 36.3 in), without its frame. Its surface is about one and a half times the area of the Mona Lisa.
Compare it with other paintings
Where to see it
It is at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut, which is free.
Museums move and lend paintings. Check the museum's website before you travel to see one work.
More by Vincent van Gogh
SunflowersVincent van Gogh, 1888 London
All Vincent van Gogh paintings
Frequently asked questions
Who painted The Night Café?
Vincent van Gogh painted The Night Café in 1888.
Where is The Night Café?
The Night Café is in the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.
How big is The Night Café?
72.4 × 92.1 cm (28.5 × 36.3 in). Its surface is about one and a half times the area of the Mona Lisa.
What is The Night Café made with?
Oil on canvas.
Sources: Wikidata Q674846; Wikipedia, "The Night Café". Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.