Photo of the Week – February 28, 2014

“The sky is aquamarine, the water is royal blue, the ground is mauve. The town is blue and purple. The gas is yellow and the reflections are russet gold descending down to green-bronze. On the aquamarine field of the sky the Great Bear is a sparkling green and pink, whose discreet paleness contrasts with the brutal gold of the gas. Two colorful figurines of lovers in the foreground.” Van Gogh’s words describing his painting Starry Night Over the Rhone in a letter to his brother Theo. This photograph, taken in 2008, does a good job of showing how little the view has changed since Vincent’s rendering done at the same bend in the river Rhone in 1888. Other famous works painted while he was living in Arles, France include Vase with Twelve Sunflowers, The Yellow House and Bedroom in Arles. photo by Anne Jacko , via Flickr