Lena Rivera
The Starry Night, painted in 1889 by Vincent van Gogh, is one of the most famous images in the world. The oil-on-canvas painting depicts an expressive night sky over a small hillside village, with a glowing yellow crescent moon and stars rendered as radiating orbs. Van Gogh's use of exaggerated colour and brushwork, thick impasto, and intense hues gives the painting a distinctive, unique quality. The swirling lines and shapes lure the viewer's eye to the centre of the painting, creating a sense of movement and turbulence. The painting has been interpreted in various ways, with some claiming it is a realistic account of the position of the stars in June 1889, while others see it as a personal expression of van Gogh's mental state at the time. The Starry Night is considered a pinnacle of modern art, with van Gogh's brief but prolific career solidifying his status as a household name.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Colours | Chromatic blue swirls, yellow, orange, pink, green, bottle green, olive, chrome, red |
| Celestial bodies | Stars, crescent moon, possibly a comet |
| Landscape | A small hillside village with cottages, a church steeple, and rolling hills |
| Vegetation | Cypress trees, olive trees |
| Inspiration | View from the artist's window at the asylum in Saint-Rémy, France |
| Style | Expressive, thick impasto, intense hues, exaggerated colour and brushwork, spirals, twisting, spiralling lines |
| Symbolism | The cypress trees may symbolise death, while the glowing yellow squares of the houses suggest peaceful homes |
| Interpretations | A personal Gethsemane, a Biblical allegory, a summary of natural, scientific, philosophical, and personal elements |
| Artist's opinion | Van Gogh regarded the painting as a failure |
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What You'll Learn
The painting's turbulent style
The Starry Night, painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889, is known for its turbulent style. The painting is an oil-on-canvas work, dominated by a night sky swirling with chromatic blue and expressive brushstrokes. The sky is alive with movement, rendered in thick impasto and intense hues, with a glowing yellow crescent moon and stars that radiate as orbs of light.
The turbulent style of the painting is further emphasised by the dark branches of the cypress trees in the foreground, which curl and sway in tandem with the swirling sky. These trees, with their flame-like shapes, tower over the landscape, adding to the sense of animation and energy in the composition. The use of impasto and the thick application of paint directly from the tube contribute to the textured and turbulent effect.
Van Gogh's expressive style, developed during his stay in Paris, is evident in the intense and dramatic rendering of the night sky. The painting reflects his interest in depicting various weather conditions and changing light, as well as his preoccupation with the challenges of painting night landscapes. He wrote about his belief that night was more colourful than day and that stars were not mere white dots but had hues of yellow, pink, or green.
The swirling lines and dynamic composition of "The Starry Night" have been interpreted as a reflection of van Gogh's mental state at the time. Some art historians and theorists have suggested that the painting's turbulent style may be influenced by his mental illness, possibly temporal lobe epilepsy, which caused dramatic behaviour and seizures described as "fireworks of electrical impulses in the brain."
The painting's style has also been linked to van Gogh's personal experiences and emotions. Some interpret the work as a personal expression of his melancholy and wonderment as he stared out at the night sky. The swirling brushstrokes and intense colours may convey a sense of turmoil and emotion, contributing to the overall turbulent style of the painting.
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The swirling sky
The swirls in the sky have been interpreted in various ways. Some see them as a representation of Van Gogh's understanding of the cosmos as a living, dynamic place. Art historian Boime suggests that the swirling figure in the centre of the sky may depict a spiral galaxy or a comet, inspired by the popular astronomical illustrations of the time. The swirling sky may also symbolise the turmoil and uncertainty of the artist's state of mind, reflecting his mental health struggles and his unique perspective on the world.
The use of spirals and swirling lines is a common technique to guide the viewer's gaze and create a sense of movement. The swirling sky contrasts with the more structured and controlled lines of the village below, creating a sense of harmony and calm amidst the turbulence of the sky. The glowing yellow squares of the houses suggest warmth and peace, providing a counterpoint to the swirling energy above.
Van Gogh's use of colour and brushwork in the sky is worth noting. The blues, oranges, and yellows create a striking contrast, and the thick impasto and intense hues add texture and depth to the sky. The swirling sky reflects Van Gogh's expressive style, applying paint directly from the tube to the canvas, resulting in a vivid and captivating depiction of the night sky.
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The symbolic cypress trees
The inclusion of cypress trees in Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" is a topic of much discussion and debate. Cypress trees have historically been associated with death in European culture, and some art historians have interpreted the trees in the painting as a “vague symbol of a human striving”, a “symbolic counterpart of Van Gogh's striving for the Infinite through non-orthodox channels”, or a “traditional religious subject in disguise”. The trees have also been described as “funereal cypresses”, possibly reflecting Van Gogh's state of mind at the time, as he had voluntarily admitted himself to a mental asylum just a month before painting "The Starry Night".
However, there is also evidence to suggest that Van Gogh was more interested in the aesthetic qualities of the trees than their symbolic connotations. In a letter to his brother Theo, Van Gogh wrote about his fascination with the cypress trees, expressing a desire to paint them in a way that captured their unique character. He mentioned "two studies of cypresses of that difficult shade of bottle green", indicating that he was primarily focused on the formal qualities of the trees rather than any symbolic meaning.
The inclusion of the cypress trees in "The Starry Night" may also be connected to Van Gogh's interest in astronomy and the cosmos. Art historian Vojtech Jirat-Wasiutynski interprets the trees as "rustic and natural obelisks", providing a "link between the heavens and the earth". This interpretation suggests that the trees serve as a visual connection between the earthly and the celestial elements in the painting.
The cypress trees in "The Starry Night" have been described as “flame-like”, with their dark branches curling and swaying, partly obscuring the animated sky. The trees tower over the foreground of the painting, creating a sense of movement and drama. While the symbolic meaning of the trees is open to interpretation, their inclusion undoubtedly adds to the overall expressive and symbolic nature of the work.
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The imaginary village
The village, with its glowing yellow squares suggesting the welcoming lights of peaceful homes, is a place of refuge and serenity within the animated landscape. It is a beacon of stability, a quiet contrast to the dynamic sky above.
Van Gogh created this imaginary village from memory or imagination, as he painted it while confined to his room in an asylum. He observed the night sky from his barred window, capturing the magnificent view of the morning star in the summer of 1889.
The village, with its controlled lines and calm presence, may reflect van Gogh's own desire for peace and stability during his struggle with mental illness. The painting, with its expressive style and thick impasto, became one of his late works, as he died by suicide the following year.
Through this imaginary village, van Gogh invites viewers to step into a world of fantasy and emotion, offering a unique perspective on the natural world and the human condition. The village, with its glowing windows and serene presence, has become an enduring symbol of refuge and harmony in a turbulent universe.
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Van Gogh's mental state
The Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh is known to have suffered from mental illness for much of his life. His mental state is thought to be reflected in his paintings, including "The Starry Night", which he painted in June 1889. The painting has been described as a "touchstone of modern art" and is considered one of the most recognizable paintings in the Western canon.
Van Gogh created "The Starry Night" during his stay at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy, France, where he admitted himself after a mental breakdown and an infamous act of self-mutilation in which he cut off part of his ear following a fight with fellow painter Gauguin. During his time at the asylum, Van Gogh was encouraged to paint and was provided with a studio space with no view of the outside.
The painting depicts the view from the east-facing window of his asylum room, with the addition of an imaginary village. The bright colours of orange, yellow, and blue may represent Van Gogh's feelings of elevation and a manic state, while the underlying dark colours painted with strokes of black may reflect his underlying feelings of sadness and darkness. The quick movements of the brushstrokes may also indicate his manic state, while the slow or intricate details could represent a sense of darkness within the city.
Some art historians and commentators have interpreted the elements of "The Starry Night" as symbolic. For example, the cypress tree has been described as a "vague symbol of a human striving" and a link between the heavens and the earth. Van Gogh himself associated the night sky with the idea of an afterlife, writing about existing in another dimension after death. He expressed hope in the stars, suggesting that they offered guidance and a sense of peace.
Overall, "The Starry Night" can be seen as a reflection of Van Gogh's mental state at the time, incorporating both his feelings of elevation and mania, as well as his underlying sadness and darkness. The painting has become a powerful expression of the artist's turbulent state of mind.
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Frequently asked questions
The Starry Night is a moderately abstract landscape painting by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, completed in 1889. It is one of his most celebrated works.
The painting depicts an expressive night sky over a small hillside village. The sky is filled with chromatic blue swirls, a glowing yellow crescent moon, and radiant stars. In the foreground, there are one or two flame-like cypress trees. A structured village with cottages and a church sits in the distance.
Van Gogh was inspired by the view from his bedroom window at the asylum in Saint-Rémy, where he was recovering from mental illness. He observed the night sky and described a magnificent view of the morning star in a letter to his brother, Theo. He painted the scene from memory, adding the imaginary village.
Van Gogh applied the paint directly from the tube onto the canvas, creating thick impasto and intense hues. He experimented with colour and brushwork, using twisting and spiralling lines to guide the viewer's eye towards the centre of the painting.
The Starry Night is considered a pinnacle of modern art, comparable to the Mona Lisa. It captures the melancholy and wonderment of Van Gogh as he stared out at the night sky. The painting's expressive style and use of colour contribute to the romantic idea of the artist as an outsider visionary.
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