Health & Science · October 22, 2026
New Study Reveals True Inspiration for Iconic Van Gogh Painting
A team of South Korean scientists has proposed a new date and inspiration for Vincent van Gogh's iconic 1889 painting 'The Starry Night'. In a study published in 'Scientific Reports', astronomer Elijah Jeong-hyun Kim and his colleagues argue the canvas depicts the pre-dawn sky over Saint-Rémy-de-Provence on July 22, 1889. This challenges the traditional art historian view that the work was created in mid-June 1889 based on letters to his brother. The researchers used a combination of astronomical modeling, weather records, and on-site visits to support their hypothesis that the work blends direct observation with artistic imagination.
Read the original coverage
- The Daily BeastMainstream
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Reported by multiple outlets
- The study was led by Elijah Jeong-hyun Kim and published on October 22 in Scientific Reports.
- Researchers suggest the painting depicts the sky around July 22, 1889, before dawn.
- Van Gogh was a patient at a psychiatric hospital in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence at the time.
- Art historians traditionally dated the work to mid-June 1889 based on van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo.
- The research team used celestial modeling and historical weather records to reach their conclusion.
Reported by only some outlets
- Researchers traveled to France twice to analyze the sky in mid-June and late July.
- The moon’s shape was specifically examined as part of the astronomical analysis.
- Van Gogh experienced an illness shortly after the proposed new date during which he did not paint.
What the evidence actually shows
Astronomers analyzed the celestial positions of stars and the moon, along with historical weather data, to conclude that the configuration in 'The Starry Night' matches the sky on July 22, 1889, at roughly 4:00 AM, rather than the previously assumed mid-June date.
What experts dispute
- Physicist Jose Luis Aragon characterizes the study as a hypothesis rather than a settled answer.
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