Starry Night Vincent Van Gogh

Jordan Thompson

Biography

Vincent Van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in the Netherlands

He was a teacher in England, then he moved on to become a preacher

He decided to become an artist at the age of 27 in 1880

He taught himself to draw and paint, and received financial support from his younger brother.

Biography

Vincent Van Gogh had mental health problems and spent time in psychiatric hospitals

Van Gogh’s artwork was inspired by the colors and countryside around him.

While suffering from depression in July of 1890 Van Gogh shot himself, and died two days later.

Background of painting

The Starry Night is one of Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous paintings. The painting shows a night view outside Van Gogh’s sanitarium room at Saint Remy-de-Provence. It has been in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City since 1941. It is one of Vincent Van Gogh's most sought after pieces.

Into the painting

People can relate to this scene, because it is so simple Exaggerated features and swirls keep the viewers eyes

moving, which keeps them interested There is a peaceful town below the bright night sky The excitement of the sky and the calmness of the

town creates a balance Van Gogh used a mix of cool dark colors and white to

portray drama and movement throughout the painting The dark object to the left of the painting is a mystery It gives the viewer a chance to really think about the

scene and truly interpret the painting

Van Gogh’s Inspiration

Van Gogh was fascinated with light, and night.

He wrote to his brother in 1888 "It often seems to me that the night is much more alive and richly colored than the day”

Van Gogh was known as the audacious, crazy, passionate painter which explains his exaggeration in many of his paintings.

Many people believe that poems by Whitman inspired Van Gogh. They believe that the painting is Whitman's poems in visual form.