Bombay, Asher Louis C.

BSME-1
Submitted To: Mrs. Joy
Mell Juayong
TILE: THE STARRY NIGHT
ART FORM: LANDSCAPE PAINTING
ARTIST: VINCENT VAN GOGH, 1889
DATE AND PLACE OF ORIGIN: IT WAS MADE IN
THE MID OF JUNE 1889, INSPIRED BY THE VIEW
FROM HIS WINDOW AT THE SAINT-PAUL-DE-
MAUSOLE ASYLUM IN SAINT-RÉMY, IN
SOUTHERN FRANCE.
ART PERIOD/STYLE: POST-IMPRESSIONISM
SHORT BACKGROUND

THE PAINTING IS DOMINATED BY A NIGHT SKY

ROILING WITH CHROMATIC BLUE SWIRLS, A
GLOWING YELLOW CRESCENT MOON, AND STARS
RENDERED AS RADIATING ORBS. ONE OR TWO
CYPRESS TREES, OFTEN DESCRIBED AS FLAME-LIKE,
TOWER OVER THE FOREGROUND TO THE LEFT, THEIR
DARK BRANCHES CURLING AND SWAYING TO THE
MOVEMENT OF THE SKY THAT THEY PARTLY
OBSCURE. AMID ALL THIS ANIMATION, A
STRUCTURED VILLAGE SITS IN THE DISTANCE ON THE
LOWER RIGHT OF THE CANVAS. STRAIGHT
CONTROLLED LINES MAKE UP THE SMALL COTTAGES
AND THE SLENDER STEEPLE OF A CHURCH, WHICH
RISES AS A BEACON AGAINST ROLLING BLUE HILLS.
THE GLOWING YELLOW SQUARES OF THE HOUSES
SUGGEST THE WELCOMING LIGHTS OF PEACEFUL
HOMES, CREATING A CALM CORNER AMID THE
PAINTING’S TURBULENCE.
SIGNIFICANCE/CONTRIBUTION

WHILE WORKING WITH COLOR, VAN GOGH

INSERTED COLORS INTO PEOPLE’S SKIN THAT WOULD
NEVER BELONG TO THEIR WORK. THIS PLAYED AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE POST-IMPRESSIONIST
PERIOD. A HALLMARK OF VAN GOGH’S ERATICISM IS
HIS FAMOUS OIL PAINTINGS STARRY NIGHT, AN
IMAGE THAT DATES FROM THE LATE NINETEENTH
CENTURY. THE STARRY NIGHT IS CONSIDERED TO BE
ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS WORKS OF ART OF ALL
TIME AND IS THE PERFECT IDEALIZATION OF POST-
IMPRESSIONIST ART. POST-IMPRESSIONISM IS THE
REACTION OF IMPRESSIONISTS AGAINST
NATURALISM TO DISCOVER LINE, FORM, COLOR, AND
EMOTION. VAN GOGH TURNED TO ART AS AN
OUTLET FOR EXPRESSING HIS MENTAL TURMOIL AND
DEPRESSED EMOTIONS, IDEALLY REPRESENTED IN THE
STARRY NIGHT.
SUBJECTIVE/PERSONAL MEANING

IN CREATING THIS IMAGE OF THE NIGHT SKY—

DOMINATED BY THE BRIGHT MOON ON THE RIGHT AND
VENUS AT THE CENTER-LEFT. VAN GOGH HERALDED
MODERN PAINTING’S NEW EMBRACE OF MOOD,
EXPRESSION, SYMBOL, AND SENTIMENT. THE ARTIST SPENT
TWELVE MONTHS IN 1889–90 SEEKING REPRIEVE FROM HIS
MENTAL ILLNESSES, THE STARRY NIGHT IS BOTH AN
EXERCISE IN OBSERVATION AND A CLEAR DEPARTURE
FROM IT. THE VISION TOOK PLACE AT NIGHT, YET THE
PAINTING, AMONG HUNDREDS OF ARTWORKS VAN GOGH
MADE THAT YEAR, WAS CREATED IN SEVERAL SESSIONS
DURING THE DAY, UNDER ENTIRELY DIFFERENT
ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS. THE PICTURESQUE VILLAGE
NESTLED BELOW THE HILLS WAS BASED ON OTHER VIEWS.
IT COULD NOT BE SEEN FROM HIS WINDOW, AND THE
CYPRESS AT THE LEFT APPEARS MUCH CLOSER THAN IT
WAS. AND ALTHOUGH CERTAIN FEATURES OF THE SKY
HAVE BEEN RECONSTRUCTED AS OBSERVED, THE ARTIST
ALTERED CELESTIAL SHAPES AND ADDED A SENSE OF
GLOW.