Painting the Pre-Electric Night

Where art history meets physiology

Before electricity, nighttime seemed a lot brighter. That’s because electric lights constrict our pupils, making the darkness darker.

If we let our eyes fully adjust, we can make out all sorts of detail, especially on a snowy scene in moonlight, as in Frederic Remington’s painting above.

Outside on a moonlit night, away from streetlights, most people can …