Van Gogh Et Les Étoiles

Exhibition at the Vincent Van Gogh Foundation, Arles 1 June - 08 September 2024

In September 1888, Vincent Van Gogh painted his Starry Night on the Rhône, a "cosmic poem" now in the Musée d'Orsay, at a time when a contagious passion for astronomy was spreading throughout Europe. This painting, which depicts the skies of Provence with great precision, is the fruit of the painter's close attention to the emotions he felt at night, and to the work of artists who had depicted it before him.

The influence of Van Gogh's night scene is considerable, as shown by the artists who followed in his footsteps - Edvard Munch, Kasimir Malevitch, Georgia O'Keeffe, Helen Frankenthaler and others. Contemporary art has continued and transformed the forms of this attraction to the night, notably through the works of Tony Cragg, Alicja Kwade, Anselm Kiefer, Dove Allouche, Yves Klein and Lee Bontecou.

This exhibition catalogue brings together Starry Night and works by over 70 artists. Illuminated by previously unpublished essays by art and literary historians, it provides an opportunity to discover the sources, context and artistic impact of Van Gogh's masterpiece. Through a variety of approaches - scientific, historical and poetic - the work of past and present artists sheds new light on Van Gogh's work, highlighting its legacy and unshakeable strength.