Leo Martínez
It is widely believed that Vincent van Gogh painted his renowned masterpiece, Starry Night, while he was a resident at the Saint-Paul asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. The painting, completed in June 1889, is an oil-on-canvas work depicting the view from the east-facing window of his room at the asylum, with the addition of an imaginary village. During his year-long stay at the asylum, van Gogh experienced both distressing mental attacks and prolific creative output, producing over 150 paintings, including the globally celebrated Starry Night.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh |
| Painting | Starry Night |
| Date | June 1889 |
| Location | Saint-Paul asylum, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Style | Post-Impressionist |
| Subject | Night sky over a small hillside village |
| Inspiration | View from the artist's asylum room window |
| Number of versions | 21 |
| Number of paintings created during asylum stay | Over 150 |
| Length of asylum stay | One year |
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What You'll Learn
Van Gogh's mental health struggles
Vincent van Gogh is one of the most celebrated artists of all time, with his works gracing the walls of museums and galleries, and homes. However, van Gogh's life was plagued by mental health struggles, which ultimately led to his untimely death at the age of 37.
Van Gogh's mental health issues began early in his life. At the age of 20, he experienced his first psychotic break after his landlord's daughter rejected his marriage proposal. This setback marked the beginning of a downward spiral in his mental health. Throughout his young adulthood, van Gogh frequently reported mental health problems and had difficulty relating to people. He suffered from regular depression, manic symptoms, and a lack of self-care.
In late December 1888, van Gogh suffered a severe mental breakdown, during which he cut off a part or all of his left ear in an act of self-mutilation. 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, also suggested the presence of "a kind of epilepsy" or mental epilepsy. During his stay at the hospital, van Gogh continued to experience seizures and periods of confusion, unconsciousness, stupor, and incoherence, which often left him unable to paint or even write letters.
In May 1889, van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. The asylum, a former monastery, catered to wealthy patients and provided van Gogh with a comfortable environment for treatment. During his year-long stay, he was highly productive, completing over 150 paintings, including the renowned "Starry Night." Painted in June 1889, "Starry Night" is a dreamy interpretation of the night sky as seen from his room in the asylum, with the addition of an imaginary village. The painting's swirling composition, rich blue tones, and artificial color palette have made it one of the most recognizable works in art history.
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The view from his asylum window
The Starry Night, created in June 1889, is a timeless masterpiece by the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh. The painting depicts the view from the east-facing window of his asylum room at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. The former monastery functioned as a mental asylum, where Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself on May 8, 1889, following a mental breakdown and an infamous act of self-mutilation.
The painting is an imaginative interpretation of the night sky as seen from his room. It is a dreamy, expressive depiction of the countryside view from his window, with nothing but the morning star. The swirling composition and rich blue tones bring the night sky to life, with celestial swirls, stylized stars, and a radiant crescent moon. The painting also includes nature's wave-like patterns in the foreground and background, creating a sense of movement.
Van Gogh wrote to his brother, Theo, about the view from his window, describing the countryside as seen through the iron-barred window before sunrise, with the morning star shining brightly. He was deeply enchanted by this view and planned to portray it on canvas soon. This letter serves as evidence that Starry Night was inspired by his unique perspective from the asylum window.
During his year-long stay at the asylum, Van Gogh remained highly productive, creating numerous paintings, including Irises, a self-portrait, and The Starry Night. He finished over 150 paintings during his stay, demonstrating his dedication to his craft. The asylum provided him with the freedom and space to create, allowing his work ethic and creativity to flourish.
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Artistic influences and interpretations
The artistic influences and interpretations of Van Gogh's Starry Night are varied and intriguing. Painted in June 1889, it is a dreamy interpretation of the night sky as seen from his room in the Saint-Paul asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. The painting is a masterpiece of swirling composition, rich blue tones, and celestial elements, including Venus and the constellation Aries. The bright aureole around the crescent moon suggests a remnant of an original gibbous moon version. The painting's movement and luminescence are created using short brushstrokes and an artificial colour palette.
Van Gogh's time in the asylum influenced his work, with the peaceful surroundings of the south of France providing the calming salve he needed after a mental breakdown and self-mutilation. The asylum's lack of artificial light and pitch-dark skies also inspired the subject matter of Starry Night. The painting may also reflect Van Gogh's interest in the writings of Victor Hugo and Jules Verne and their belief in an afterlife on stars or planets.
The composition of Starry Night shares a resemblance with Katsushika Hokusai's woodblock print, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Van Gogh's time in Paris and his exposure to artists such as Monet, Pissarro, Paul Signac, and Émile Bernard may have also influenced his unique style. The influence of his fellow artists is evident in his work, with the cypress trees in Starry Night possibly representing death and the bridge between heaven and earth, as depicted in Western art history.
The painting has been interpreted in various ways, including religious symbolism and representations of Van Gogh's emotional turmoil. The white band above the hills may represent the Milky Way, and the village in the painting is an imaginary addition, based on sketches rather than the actual landscape seen from the asylum. The pointy, dome-less church in Starry Night resembles the churches Van Gogh grew up around in the Netherlands.
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The asylum itself
The Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, where Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself, was originally an Augustinian monastery and a veritable masterpiece of Provençal Romanesque art. It was built in the neighbourhood of the Gallo-Roman site of Glanum and owes its name, Mausolé, to the proximity of the mausoleum of the Julii. The former monastery functioned as a mental asylum and was located in an area of cornfields, vineyards, and olive trees. It catered to wealthy patients and was less than half full at the time of Van Gogh's admission, allowing him access to a second-story bedroom and a ground-floor studio. The head doctor at the asylum appreciated Van Gogh's artwork and understood that the only way to save him was to give him his freedom and space to create paintings. During his productive year-long stay, Van Gogh was allowed to paint outdoors in the institution's walled garden. He completed around 150 paintings, including some of his best-known works, such as "The Irises" and a self-portrait.
The asylum is located twelve miles northeast of Arles in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, in the south of France. It has a particularly beautiful Romanesque cloister and adjoins a well-preserved set of Roman ruins known as les Antiques. The Mont Gaussier, which overlooks the site, and the Alpilles range can be seen in some of Van Gogh's paintings. The former chapter houses and the Romanesque stairwell feature a permanent exhibition of works for sale, made by the patients at the art therapy studio Valetudo. From the top of the stairs, one can see the wheat field that Van Gogh contemplated and painted during his year of confinement.
Van Gogh was initially supposed to be sent to a large public asylum in Marseille, but his brother had him admitted to the Saint-Paul asylum, which had only 41 patients. This allowed him to be treated with kindness and understanding. During his stay, Van Gogh experienced periods of illness when he could not paint. However, painting provided solace and meaning for him when he was able to resume. He found nature especially meaningful, with trees, landscapes, and caterpillars representing the opportunity for transformation and budding flowers symbolizing the cycle of life.
Van Gogh was allowed to leave the grounds of the asylum, and he made other works, such as "Olive Trees" and landscapes of the local area. He was given an extra room inside the clinic to use as a studio, where he produced a series of works, including copies of prints after paintings by artists like Rembrandt and Millet. However, his mental health continued to fluctuate. During one period of extreme confusion, he ate some of his oil paint and was restricted to drawing for a while.
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The painting's journey to the Museum of Modern Art
"The Starry Night", often simply called "Starry Night", is a painting by the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. Painted in June 1889, it is one of Van Gogh's most famous works and is regarded as one of the most recognizable paintings in the Western canon. It has been in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City since 1941.
The painting was acquired by MoMA through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest in 1941. It was purchased from Georgette P. van Stolk, of Rotterdam, by Paul Rosenberg, of Paris and New York, who then sold it to the museum. The painting was first exhibited at MoMA in 1935, before becoming part of the permanent collection in 1941.
Today, the painting is a visitor favourite at MoMA. The museum offers a variety of experiences centred around the painting, including a live Q&A with the museum's Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture, Ann Temkin, and a performative reading of the letters between Van Gogh and his brother, Theo. Visitors can also explore a detailed 3D model of the painting, allowing them to examine the texture of the canvas and the artist's brushstrokes from various angles.
The painting's journey to MoMA is also a testament to the recognition and appreciation of Van Gogh's work. "The Starry Night" has been described as a touchstone of modern art and is considered one of the most iconic and beloved works in art history.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Van Gogh painted Starry Night in June 1889 while he was in an asylum in Saint-Rémy, France.
Starry Night is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. It is one of his most famous works and is considered a masterpiece.
Van Gogh was inspired by the view from his window at the asylum, which he described in a letter to his brother Theo: "This morning I saw the countryside from my window a long time before sunrise, with nothing but the morning star, which looked very big."
