The Starry Night by Van Gogh

One of the most celebrated pieces of Western Art, The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, was unfortunately born out of a dark period in the artist's life.

After the breakdown that led to Van Gogh cutting off his own ear, he committed himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole lunatic asylum. It is here, in fact, where he created some of his most stunning works, chief of which was The Starry Night. The painting depicts the view from his quarter’s window including the rolling hills in the distance and the wheat fields below.

The famous painting was not a one-off affair, nor was it created from memory, as Van Gogh took the time to sketch the landscape and create compositions 21 times during different hours of the clock. Several of these earlier versions are available for viewing across Europe.

The Starry Night differs from its predecessors in a way that it is one of the very few pieces to feature a nocturnal theme. The village depicted in the painting is the only thing to not be pictorially accurate and was actually recalled from a sketch made from a hillside over the village of Saint-Remy.

About Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890) was a brilliant Dutch post-Impressionist painter and one of the most celebrated Western artists in history. He led a troubled life, battling mental illness, which finally consumed him and caused him to take his own life at age 37. His art was not appreciated during his time and his genius was only recognized after his death. Known for his landscapes, portraits and still lifes, he employed broad brushstrokes with dramatic use of color to capture moments and people.

Opinions

Pros

Accuracy – For a composition created from memory, it is strikingly accurate in its depiction of the night sky. Research has shown that the brightest star in the painting is Venus, which would have been visible in the night sky at that time. The moon is also in the correct phase of waning and some historians even believe the constellation of Aries is visible.

Cons

Circumstances – It is no secret that Van Gogh was a troubled individual battling inner demons. This masterpiece was born during a particularly trying time in his life, from inside an asylum. It is sad to acknowledge that genius sometimes goes hand in hand with madness.

Self-critiquing – Van Gogh himself did not rate the piece highly, as when he sent his brother Theo his paintings, he held this one back, deeming it unfit for sale or display. In a correspondence to fellow painter Emile Bernard, he even called it a failure. That the painting is now one of the most recognized works of art in the world means Van Gogh never truly understood its (or his) value.