Cafe Terrace At Night

How many posters are there of this painting all over the world, I wonder Undoubtedly, a great many!

Perhaps because its subject fulfills everyone’s idea of the kind of cafe they themselves would like to frequent; the perfect place to have an aperitif or digestif; the perfect place to meet a friend after dinner or at the end of a long day’s work to settle in for some refreshment and good conversation. Or, perhaps, just to sit in companionable silence.

The sky full of stars is an added bonus.

Given the pain van Gogh experienced in his all-too-brief lifetime, I find comfort in knowing that there were also moments spent in a place such as this, in the company of loving friends.

I hope that he did, too.

Cafe Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh

*Listen to Marilyn Lightstone’s reading of this text: