The above painting, “The Starry Night,” was painted by prominent painter, Vincent van Gough, when he was in Saint Rémy seeking treatment in a mental asylum, in 1889. Gough is one of the “well-know post-impressionist artist, and was born in Groot Zundert, Holland on March 30, 1853” (http://www.vangoghgallery.com/misc/biography.html). Gough thought to himself that his calling was to preach to gospel and took him many years to discover his true calling was an artist. He was not a very self-confidence man and often struggled with self identity and direction. Gough tried to learn to imitate the impressionist painters after meeting his brother and fellow impressionists in Paris. Although he failed to imitate the impressionist style, he managed to develop his own style that is unique and more emotional. During his career, he did not produce and sell many printing but “The Starry Night” is said to be his best work. The painting is well known for his unique style, which is different from other post-impressionists. This painting particularly gains attention of art community because it is drawn from his memory of the night sky.
When I first encounter the painting, the first thing that I notice is the blue night sky filled with almost fireballs-like yellow stars that takes up most of the background. At the bottom right corner of the painting, there is a town that blends really well with the forest, without light, and encompasses little houses, giving the impression of silence and that everyone seems to be asleep. The cypress bush in the foreground with it dark green color stands out from the blue sky. The flowing lines appear to be in in motion due to the fluid brushstrokes that gives the impression of the movement. Many critics have said the painting reflects the emotions, loneliness and distorted perception of Gough at that moment as he reproduced it from his mental image. The thick brushstrokes certainly give the illusion that the painting is in constant motion. Moreover, in the middle of the painting, the heavy white brushstrokes seem to portray the flowing of the wind. In the top right corner of the painting, the biggest of the stars appear to be the moon as the shape of the moon is surrounded by the yellow light. Overall, the painting almost magically presents the blue night sky that filled with stars and moon that shines brightly upon the mountains and the quiet small town.
The post-impressionists believe that art doesn’t always necessarily have to resemblance the actual object in the real world. Therefore, in contrast to impressionism, which tries to imitate the actual object, they tend to rely on heavy brushstrokes to paint portraits that are imaginative and somewhat surreal. Moreover, the painting has been said to be the best work of his artist career and gained popularity in artist communities and general audience.