The Starry Night is a very famous painting. Van Gogh used bold swirling lines in this painting of a night filled with stars over a quiet village. The lines follow the motion of the land, trees, and clouds in the sky. The yellows and blues are bright. The colors express what Van Gogh felt about this glorious night, not what he actually saw with his eyes. His works changed the purposes for making art from realistic representation to a way of showing the feelings, thoughts, or the personality of the artist.
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night ; 1889. Photo Credit: Dover Publications Inc.
Can you find the moon? How many stars are in this starry night scene?
Where does Van Gogh use swirls and curves in the picture?
What color are the lights from the village? What color are the hills behind the village?
Van Gogh said that he wanted to paint Cypress trees “as I feel them”. These and other qu otes from his writings are found in What Makes a Van Gogh a Van Gogh? by Richard Muhlberger. I especially like the close up views of the paintings allowing us to see the texture and thick paint, which are a unique part of his technique.
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