Paint a Night Sky

The night sky and the moon and stars have long captivated artists. Artists have captured the night sky in many phases on canvas.

The Starry Night Vincent van Gogh

Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh created one of the most iconic Impressionist paintings. This renowned painting features a depiction of the moon and stars over the small town of Saint Remy-de-Provence in France. This is the view that van Gogh saw from this window in the asylum. It is one of the artist's most celebrated paintings.

Starry Night Over the Rhone Vincent van Gogh (Pictured above)

Dutch artist Vincent van Goh created this painting one year before this famous The Starry Night. It is also among his most iconic night sky paintings. The artwork was created in 1888 and depicts the wonder of the night sky along with the twinkling lights of a town. The Rhone is one of the well-known rivers that flows through France.

River View by Moonlight Aert van der Neer

Dutch Golden Age artist Aert van der Neer focused on creating nighttime landscape paintings. This artwork is among his most memorable created in the 1640s. The painting highlights the contrast between the dark features of the land along the banks of a river illuminated by the brightness of the moon.

Boulevard Montmartre, Night Effect Camille Pissaro

Danish-French artist Camille Pissarro is one of the most admirable artists of the Impressionist movement. The artist grew up on St. Thomas island, part of the Virgin islands in the Caribbean and later moved to Europe to pursue an art career. This artwork is among is most memorable paintings created in 1897. The painting depicts the Boulevard Montmartre in the nighttime with shining street lights.

View of the Eruptions of Mount Vesuvius Pierre-Jacques Volaire

French artist Pierre-Jacques Volaire created this painting during the 1770s It depicts the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on the Gulf of Naples, Italy. The painting shows the surreal nature of the blast from the volcano along with the serene nature of the night sky.

Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight Joseph Mallord William Turner

English artist Joseph Mallord William Turner was a noted artist during the Romantic era. His most notable paintings were of landscapes and cityscapes and some maritime artworks. This painting is among his most famous paintings depicting a brightly-lit night sky created in 1835. It was painted at a time when there was a high demand for coal to fuel the Industrial Revolution. This artwork depicts large sailing ships on the left and darker, flat-bottomed boats on the right hauling coal.

Moonlight Winslow Homer

American artist Winslow Homer was a renowned artist in the 19th century. He was known to create landscape paintings and maritime artworks. This is his most notable artwork depicting a glowing moonlit sky over the rocky shores of Wood Island a short distance from Portland, Maine. Viewers of this painting can see a small speck of orange just above the horizon representing the historic lighthouse on Wood island.

Moonlit Shipwreck at Sea Thomas Moran

American artist Thomas Moran is remembered for capturing the wild and rugged beauty of the American frontier during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was part of the famed Hudson River School. His landscapes and maritime paintings are memorable, This artwork is considered a masterpiece that depicts the glow of the moon over raging seas and winds. It was created in 1901. A small bit of wreckage of a ship can be seen on the lower right-hand corner of the painting.

The Meteor of 1860 Frederic Edwin Church

American artist Frederic Edwin Church was a most prominent member of the famed Hudson River School. He was known for depicting landscapes of the American Frontier. This is one of his most highly acclaimed artworks centering around the famous meteor event that took place in July of 1860. The artist has captured the night sky illuminated by the fiery light of the blazing meteor as it entered the Earth's atmosphere. The reflection of the flaming orange and red hues can be seen in the waters of the Hudson River near Catskill, New York.

Nocturne in Black and Gold - The Falling Rocket James Abbott McNeill Whistler

American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an artist known for his unique style of portraying landscapes and other scenes. This painting depicts a night sky dimly lit with remnants of a series of fireworks. His aim was to capture the moments after the fireworks exploded and were falling back down toward the ground leaving thick clouds of smoke behind.