Landscape with Wheat Sheaves and Rising Moon

For some time, Van Gogh had been fascinated by the idea of painting the night sky. Inspired by writers he admired—Walt Whitman, who described the stars as “a manifestation of eternity,” and Thomas Carlyle, who called them “the open secret of the mystery of the universe”—he sought to infuse his own painting with a deeply personal sentiment.

Here, the moon rises over the Alpilles, casting its glow across the wheat sheaves in the foreground. Van Gogh labored over the canvas, and in its final phase, overlaid the surface with a dense web of light purple strokes to heighten the sensation of nocturnal light. Over time, however, these pigments have faded, leaving whitish streaks that lessen the painting’s intended nighttime atmosphere.

Although Van Gogh believed strongly in painting directly from nature, this work was created largely in his studio. Gauguin, during their short-lived collaboration, had urged him to rely more on memory and imagination. Yet Van Gogh remained uneasy with the result: he found the composition overworked and the style exaggerated, lamenting that it lacked “deeply felt lines.”

Don't miss today's full moon!

P.S. In our new postcard set, Landscapes, you will find more captivating views just like this one.  :)

P.P.S. From the iconic works to lesser-known masterpieces, discover Vincent van Gogh in 10 paintings!