Critiquing Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night

Critiquing Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most well-known artists in all of art history. Categorized as a Post Impressionist, Van Gogh’s influence on the art world is undeniable. Even though he did not experience fame and fortune in his lifetime, his legacy as one of the greatest artists of all time lives on.

In this critique, we look at one of his most famous works, “Café Terrace at Night”. We examine the characteristics of this painting that make it a masterpiece and the choices that Van Gogh made. We do this so that we can apply the same concepts to our own artworks and develop an appreciation for the discipline of art-making and composition.

Facts About this Painting

Title: Café Terrace at Night
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Date: 1888
Dimensions: 80.7 cm × 65.3 cm (31.8 in × 25.7 in)
Location: Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo

The Importance of Critique

It’s easy to assume that an art critique only benefits the artist that created the art. But this is far from the truth. Critique helps us all since we learn from analyzing any artwork. We can take what we learn and apply these concepts to our own artworks.