Lena Rivera
The Starry Night, painted by Vincent van Gogh in June 1889, is considered one of the most recognizable paintings in Western art. It depicts the view from the artist's asylum room window at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself to the asylum following a mental breakdown and self-mutilation of his ear in December 1888. After painting The Starry Night, van Gogh experienced another breakdown in July 1889. In July 1890, van Gogh died by a gunshot wound, with the official ruling being suicide. However, there are alternative theories, including accidental manslaughter, that have been proposed.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of painting | June 1889 |
| Location of painting | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence |
| Painter's mental state | Van Gogh had experienced a mental breakdown in December 1888 and voluntarily admitted himself to an asylum in May 1889 |
| Painter's physical state | Van Gogh attempted suicide by shooting himself in the stomach in July 1890 |
| Painter's death | Van Gogh died in January 1891, six months after his brother Theo |
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What You'll Learn
Van Gogh's mental health struggles
Vincent van Gogh is known to have struggled with his mental health throughout his life, and his mental state is thought to have informed his art.
Van Gogh also had a history of self-harm and seizures or crises. On 23 December 1888, he suffered a breakdown and cut off part or all of his left ear. Following this incident, he was admitted to a hospital in Arles, where he was diagnosed with "acute mania with generalized delirium". Dr. Félix Rey, an intern at the hospital, suggested that van Gogh may have been experiencing "a kind of epilepsy" or mental epilepsy.
Van Gogh's mental health issues continued to affect him throughout his life, and he was admitted to various hospitals and asylums. On 8 May 1889, he voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, a former monastery that catered to the wealthy. During his stay, he produced some of his best-known works, including "The Starry Night", which was painted in June 1889.
Some art historians interpret "The Starry Night" as a reflection of van Gogh's emotional turmoil and personal struggles. Naifeh and Smith theorize that the painting reflects the state of mind van Gogh was in at the time, suggesting that "in giving himself over to his imagination, his defenses had been breached."
Despite his struggles, van Gogh was able to create numerous influential paintings and was described as an intelligent man with enormous willpower, resilience, and perseverance.
On 29 July 1890, van Gogh died from the consequences of a suicide attempt with a gun two days earlier. However, the exact circumstances of his death are still debated, with some arguing that he may have been the victim of accidental manslaughter or foul play.
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The painting's celestial elements
The Starry Night, painted by Vincent van Gogh in June 1889, is an oil-on-canvas work depicting the view from the artist's asylum room at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in France. The painting, which has been described as a "touchstone of modern art", features several celestial elements, including the planet Venus, the moon, and the constellation Aries.
Venus, also known as the "morning star", was indeed visible in the spring of 1889 in Provence, France, and is depicted in the painting as the brightest "star" in the sky, just to the viewer's right of the cypress tree. This inclusion of Venus is significant as it reflects van Gogh's interest in astronomy and the advancements in that field during his lifetime.
The moon in the painting is not astronomically accurate, as it was likely a waning gibbous moon at the time, rather than the crescent moon depicted. However, art historian Albert Boime suggests that van Gogh may have initially intended to paint a gibbous moon but reverted to the more traditional crescent shape, with the bright aureole around it possibly being a remnant of the original gibbous version.
The celestial elements in The Starry Night have been interpreted in various ways, including religious symbolism and representations of van Gogh's emotional state at the time. Art historian Meyer Schapiro highlights the expressionistic aspects of the painting, suggesting it was created under the "pressure of feeling" and reflects van Gogh's "visionary" state of mind.
The swirling stars and cypress tree, for example, have been interpreted as symbols of death and rebirth, conveying a sense of tumultuous beauty and inner turmoil. Van Gogh himself associated the night sky with the idea of an afterlife, writing to his brother Theo about his "tremendous need for religion" and his belief in "another dimension after death" associated with the stars. Thus, the celestial elements in The Starry Night hold symbolic and emotional significance, adding to the depth and intrigue of the painting.
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Van Gogh's suicide attempt
On 27 July 1890, Vincent van Gogh left for the wheat fields after breakfast and did not return at his usual time. When he finally appeared at 9 pm, he was clutching his stomach. He showed the innkeeper, Monsieur Ravoux, a gunshot wound, admitting that he had attempted suicide. Van Gogh told Ravoux that he had gone out to the wheat field where he had been painting and shot himself.
However, the details of Van Gogh's suicide attempt and subsequent death remain disputed. Some have questioned how Van Gogh could have obtained a gun, given his history of mental illness. It has also been suggested that the gunshot wound was not self-inflicted, but rather the result of accidental manslaughter or foul play. In his book 'Van Gogh: The Life', author Steven Naifeh challenges the conventional account of the artist's death, arguing that Van Gogh's upbeat disposition and plans for the future, as evident in his letters, do not align with the notion of suicide. Naifeh also questions how Van Gogh could have walked a mile back to the inn with a fatal stomach wound and why his painting gear was never found.
Another account of Van Gogh's suicide attempt comes from artist and friend Émile Bernard, who explained that Van Gogh went out into the countryside, left his easel against a haystack, and shot himself. Bernard's letter to Albert Aurier provides details of the funeral, which was held in the afternoon of 30 July 1890. Van Gogh's body was surrounded by his last canvases and masses of yellow flowers, including dahlias and sunflowers.
In the months following the creation of 'The Starry Night', Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo about death and the "spots of light in the firmament". He expressed a sense of hope and the possibility of transcendence through art, suggesting a complex emotional state.
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The accidental shooting theory
One of the key arguments supporting the accidental shooting theory is the upbeat and positive nature of Van Gogh's paintings and correspondence leading up to his death. In the months before his passing, Van Gogh created several iconic paintings, including "The Starry Night," which was painted in June 1889. During this period, he also wrote numerous letters to his brother, Theo, expressing his love for his art and life and making plans for the future. These positive sentiments seem incongruous with the idea that he intended to take his own life.
Additionally, there are several inconsistencies and unanswered questions surrounding the suicide theory. Firstly, it is unclear how Van Gogh could have obtained a gun, given his well-documented mental health struggles. Secondly, the idea that he shot himself in the stomach and did not inflict a second shot to ensure his death seems questionable. Moreover, the absence of any gunpowder residue or specific marks on his skin around the wound, as noted by handgun expert Dr. Di Maio, raises doubts about the official narrative.
The theory also posits that Van Gogh may have been accidentally shot by a group of young boys, a rumor that noted scholar John Rewald heard during his interviews with locals in Auvers-sur-Oise in the 1930s. Van Gogh, in his final moments, chose to protect the boys and did not reveal their identities. This theory gained further traction in popular culture through films like "Loving Vincent" (2017) and "At Eternity's Gate" (2018), which explored alternative interpretations of the artist's death.
In conclusion, the accidental shooting theory provides a different perspective on the death of Vincent van Gogh, highlighting the inconsistencies in the suicide ruling and presenting alternative explanations that align with his artistic productivity and positive outlook during his final months.
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The artist's prolific output
Vincent van Gogh was a prolific painter known for his striking use of colour, brushwork, and contoured forms. He is considered one of the greatest Post-Impressionist painters, exerting a powerful influence on the development of modern painting, particularly Expressionism. Van Gogh's work became extremely popular after his death, with his paintings selling for record-breaking sums at auctions worldwide.
During his stay at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Van Gogh continued his prolific output of paintings, producing some of the best-known works of his career. This period saw the creation of "Irises" (May 1889) and the "Blue Self-Portrait" (September 1889). "The Starry Night", painted in June 1889, is one of his most famous works from this period.
In the last six or seven months of 1889, Van Gogh created at least 15 paintings of olive trees, including "Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the Background" (1889). He also produced multiple works on cypresses, including "Cypresses" (1889), "Cypresses with Two Figures" (1889-90), and "Road with Cypress and Star" (1890).
Van Gogh also painted several landscapes with flowers, such as roses, lilacs, irises, and sunflowers. He completed two series of dying sunflowers, the first in Paris in 1887 and the second in Arles in 1888. These series are known for their thickly layered paintwork and technical skill.
During his time in the asylum, Van Gogh made several studies of the hospital's interiors and gardens. Some of his works from this period are characterised by swirls, such as "The Starry Night". He painted "Vestibule of the Asylum" and "Saint-Rémy" (September 1889), as well as "Lilacs" (May 1889).
In September 1889, Van Gogh produced two further versions of "Bedroom in Arles" and "The Gardener". He also worked on interpretations of other artists' paintings, such as Millet's "The Sower" and "Noonday Rest", and variations on his earlier works.
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Frequently asked questions
The official ruling is that Vincent van Gogh died by suicide in July 1890, however, there is some debate surrounding the circumstances of his death. Some sources suggest that Van Gogh was the victim of accidental manslaughter or foul play.
Yes, Van Gogh painted 'The Starry Night' in June 1889, over a year before his death.
Van Gogh painted 'The Starry Night' at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. He admitted himself to the asylum following a mental breakdown and an act of self-mutilation in December 1888.
'The Starry Night' was inspired by the view from the east-facing window of Van Gogh's room at the asylum. He painted variations of this view at different times of the day and under various weather conditions.
