Realistic: Van Gogh\'s Starry Night

¶ … Realistic: Van Gogh's Starry Night

Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is one of his most famous paintings, largely considered as his greatest work. Painted from memory in June, 1889, during his stay in the Saint-Remy asylum, "Starry Night" is one of the most reproduced works of art ever made. It has been in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City from 1941. This work is one of the most representative examples of the suggestive power of art, especially painting. Thesis: This paper argues that painting has the capacity not only to reproduce exteriors, i.e. appearances, but also to deconstruct emotions, states and feelings, and to reflect them in its viewers. In this sense, Van Gogh's "Starry Night" reflects the painter's feelings and mental state, and has the ability to mirror not only a small piece of French scenery, but also the trials and tribulations of an artistic genius.

In painting, as in any other art form, perspective is the key to understanding the point-of-view of the artist. In this case, it is both interesting and crucial to note that "Starry Night" was painted from memory during the day although it depicts a nocturnal scene. Van Gogh mentally recorded the view outside his sanitarium room window at night, and was able to reproduce it on canvas during the day, depicting not only the physical attributes of his surroundings, but also his frail state of mind. In this sense, painting represented an emotional and spiritual experience for Van Gogh who sought to recreate more than just his surroundings, but also his feelings and sensations on his subjects irrespective of their nature. This painting was executed during a period of great mental turmoil when his attacks were severe and his behavior, often erratic. This could account for the lack of interest the artist himself showed in this particular painting. In this sense, it has been almost impossible to establish Van Gogh's feelings towards his second "Starry Night" as there was little mention of it in his letters to his brother Theo. Although in general he would discuss his work in detail, Van Gogh only mentions this painting twice, in letters 595 and 607.

Van Gogh's "Starry Night" cannot be discussed outside of its artistic context. Thus, it is important to note here that Vincent Van Gogh was one of the most famous Post-Impressionist painters of the nineteenth century. Post Impressionism is much more difficult to define than Impressionism. Although there is great diversity among Impressionist painters as well, one can safely argue that their shared interest in the transitory effects of light binds their work together whereas in the case of Post-Impressionists, their personal styles differ greatly. Van Gogh paints the night sky from a hilltop overlooking a quiet town with a church and cottages. The most dramatic theme is the swirling stars, which dominate the scene, along with a towering group of Cypress trees. It is probably significant that the Cypress is the traditional tree of graveyards, as they are a symbol for eternity. Although no longer fervently religious as in his earlier years, this painting seems to suggest that God and nature and everlasting and infinite whereas the universe of man exists merely as a shadow, or a frail reflection of the divine.