← Archive · 2026-06-23

Case: Place du Forum, Arles, France

Image: Cafe Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh, photographed by Paul Hermans, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. · source

The answer

Place du Forum, Arles, France · FR · 1880s

How the AI detective did

The AI placed its guess 0 km from the real location (it guessed Place du Forum, Arles).

With the full clue set, the AI identified the specific square and 1888 painting context.

The evidence the AI read

• architecture: A bright street facade, outdoor tables, and tight perspective form the main visual structure. — This suggests a compact southern European town square rather than a rural scene.
• climate: Open-air seating, warm walls, and shuttered buildings point to mild evening street life. — A Mediterranean or near-Mediterranean setting is plausible.
• era_marker: The medium, brushwork, and gaslit night palette point to late nineteenth-century painting. — An 1880s answer is more plausible than a modern photograph.
• terrain: The scene is framed by a small urban square, narrow streets, and no visible waterfront. — The pin should target a historic town center instead of a regional landmark.

Think you can out-read the AI? Play today’s case →