Beneath a starry night: Celebrating Van Gogh's 162nd birthday

[Photo/Xinhua]

Starry Night over the Rhone

Painted in Sept, 1888, Starry Night over the Rhone depicts a night scene on the Rhone River in Arles, a southern city in France. Turbulent stars make a stark contrast with lofty dark blue hues. The night sky appears alive with bright stars dotted in it. Under the sky, the Rhone seems to be peaceful with several boats of different sizes scattering on the glistening river surface. Nearby, a couple strolls along the river bank. All things in the painting are in harmony, rendering a sense of elegance yet loneliness. The painting was first exhibited in 1889 at the annual exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists and collected at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.