Van Gogh's Starry Night: A Masterpiece Analysis
Vincent van Gogh created The Starry Night in 1889 while seeking treatment from mental illness at the asylum in Arles. This painting is perceived as one of the Dutch painter’s most iconic works, as it depicts a night landscape composed of vivid strokes and contrasting colors. Such a compelling mixture of remembrance, observation, and movement encourages others to reach for the stars and a state of self-fulfillment. Van Gogh carefully selects his colors, brushwork, and symbols to effectively convey his desired message. This is “Starry Night” analysis essay which examines the artistic techniques and symbolism used by the author when writing this masterpiece.
First of all, Van Gogh utilizes color to express the meaning of his oil canvas. This exaggerated use contributes to the alive, deeply-pigmented sky. The prevailing artist creates this masterpiece with blue, yellow, and green accents. Because the colors are not blended, there is a sense of movement and vibration as the viewer’s eyes bounce between the distinct markings. The radiating light of the stars and moon are established by using bursting yellows and oranges that illuminate against the tranquil background. Upon close analysis, one can notice that the center of the stars are highly saturated, while its reflection is paler. To transition from this eloquent state, Van Gogh uses light green in the middle of the provoking piece without using any measures of blending. The eye-catching cypress tree is ambiguous due to its dark presence and sharp contrast as compared to the bold stars. This color selection portrays that Van Gogh was encountering a sorrowful period of his life, which ended two years after the completion of the work. The colors of this cypress greatly differ from the cypresses the dutch painter has evoked before. They are usually more bright and heavily saturated. Van Gogh believed that the night sky was far more intensely colored than the day. Therefore, this selection of color adds essence to the oil painting, contributing to the overall tone.
Furthermore, the frequently applied brushstrokes reflect Van Gogh’s turbulent, rapid nature. The detailed movements are representative of his emotions and personal perception of the object being painted. Moreover, the swirling brushstrokes enable an individual to visualize the painter’s insanity, who was struggling with unappreciated artwork. The connected, cautious strokes connect the main features, suggesting that they are all related. These dramatic and directional elements illustrate the motion of the sky, a force of nature that is rumbling and full of energy. Such rolling motion is set by his short strokes and thickly-layered paint. The soft outline of the village reveals that it is stable and quiet, differing from the flowing surroundings. This loosened, layered style demonstrates an impasto technique during the Post-Impressionism period that was developed in Paris. Van Gogh uses this specific method to convey his responses and viewpoint to the world.
In addition, Van Gogh uses an array of symbols to intensify Starry Night. The painting has a religious meaning, as depicted by the dominating church steeple and beaming stars with halos surrounding their presence. The church serves as a guiding light, providing warmth and comfort. He is alluding to the bible verse Genesis 37:9 by painting exactly eleven stars. Joseph, an outcast with eleven brothers, was imprisoned, similar to how the dutch painter was thrown into an asylum. Similarly, both of these striving individuals consider themselves as unappreciated by their peers. Although the daunting, flame-like cypress tree is often linked to Van Gogh’s eventual suicide, it is a catalyst that fuels hope. It appears to dull the glimmering, blissful sky with its climbing branches. Van Gogh had a designated mission to uncover the underlying meaning regarding a subject of interest.
Ultimately, Van Gogh uses a combination of harmonious colors, countless brushstrokes, and symbolic dimensions that “sing” their recognition of their remarkable creator. This noteworthy artist took a different approach to his artwork, which is filled with isolation and utter doubt. Starry Night embodies an emerging Expressionism era that would heavily influence a great number of artists. This abstract work of visual contrasts was inspired by Van Gogh’s passion for gleaming orbs of light amidst the dark sky.
