Post–impressionism

Learning from the master:

Vincent van Gogh

1. Learning Objectives: When you have finished this chapter, you will learn to appreciate Vincent van Gogh’s painting, “Starry Night”, using the following steps: 1.  Description: Describe directly what can be

seen in the artwork. 2.  Analysis: Describe how the visual elements

(lines and colours) are used and the effects they create.

Although van Gogh was not confident that he was a great artist, his paintings are now seen as masterpieces of art.

Vincent van Gogh was a post-impressionist artist. Although his paintings are famous today, they were not very popular in his own time. He gave many of his paintings away or his brother bought them. He sold only one painting to someone else.

This painting is one of his famous works. It is called “Starry Night”.

Because he was so unsure about his art, he was in a mental hospital at the time, in France.

Now, in order for us to appreciate his works, we need to learn how to appreciate art – we have to learn the strategies of art appreciation.

2. Art Appreciation

2.1 Step 1: Description

2.1.1: What are the facts about the art work.

Title Artist Year

Media Size Art style

“Starry Night” Vincent van Gogh 1889

Oil on canvas 73.7 x 92.1 cm Post-Impressionism

2.1.2 What do you see in the painting? In other words, describe the subject matter in the painting.

Q: How can you describe the subject matter? A: Please look at the notes about Art

Appreciation and Art Criticism.

Describe the things that you can see in the painting.

This cypress

tree is one of the

things that make up

the subject matter.

Describe the things that you can see in the painting by connecting what you can see to the title of the painting.

The things which are related to the title, “Starry Night”, eg the moon, stars and clouds.

Describe what you can see in the painting by describing: •  what is in the front of the painting, the foreground •  what is in the middle of the painting, the middle-ground •  what is at the back, the background.

Mountains and the night sky are in the background; a village (church, houses and trees) are in the middle-ground, and a cypress tree is in the foreground.

1.  What can you see in the foreground?

2.  What can you see in the middle-ground?

3.  What can you see in the background?

In the foreground, I can see a big cypress tree.

What can you see in the painting?

A cypress tree

moon

stars

mountains

trees church houses

2.2 Step 2: Analysis What are the visual elements (such as lines, and brushstrokes) used in the painting?

2.2.1 Describe the lines in the picture.

Curved and long lines are used for the cypress tree.

The cypress tree

The night sky

Spiral, curved, wavy and broken lines are used for the night sky.

The houses

Straight and short lines are used for the church and houses.

Let’s zoom in closer to “Starry Night”

In this close-up of the picture’s surface, you can see more clearly the lines. They show a thick layer of paint, making thick brushstrokes.

2.2.2 Lines and Feeling

How do the lines in the painting make you feel?

The curved, long lines of the tree

What do you think the tree looks like? Burning fire

How does the burning tree make you feel? Nervous or uncomfortable

The spiral, curved, wavy and broken lines of the night sky

All of these curved lines show energy, movement and rhythm, and are perhaps dream-like.

The short, straight lines of the houses

The short, straight lines produce feelings that seem stable and controlled, and peaceful and calm.

2.2.3 Exercise 1: If I were Van Gogh, my view of the night sky would be …

•  Comfortable? •  Cheerful? •  Peaceful? •  Relaxing? •  Exciting?

Use different kinds of lines to express your feelings of the night sky.

Artwork Description

In terms of the use of lines— curved and long lines—they are used to show that the tree looks like it is on fire. The spiral, curved, wavy and broken lines are used to show that the night sky is full of energy, movement and rhythm. Also, they create a dreamy atmosphere.

In terms of the use of lines—curved and long lines—they are used to show that the tree looks like it is on fire. The spiral, curved, wavy and broken lines are used to show that the night sky is full of energy, movement and rhythm. Also, they create a dreamy atmosphere.

Artwork Description

Write a description of the lines of your sketch in Exercise 1. The description should be round 50 words.

2.2.4 How can we describe the colour in the painting?

Light and dark shades of brown and green are used for the cypress tree.

The cypress tree The night sky Orange, yellow and

white paint are used for the stars and moon.

For the clouds, light shades of blue, white and yellow paint are used.

Dark-blue paint is used for the sky

For the village and mountains, dark-green and blue are the main colours used.

The village and mountains

2.2.5 Colours and feelings

How can we describe our feelings when viewing this painting?

Light and dark shades of brown and green are used for the cypress tree.

The cypress tree

These colours make the viewer nervous or scared.

Colours

Feelings

The night sky Orange, yellow and white paint are used on the stars and moon.

For the clouds, light shades of blue, white and yellow paint are used.

Dark-blue paint is used for the sky.

Colours

Feelings These colours appear to create feelings of warmth and energy.

Colours

Feeling These colours seem to create feelings of sadness and loneliness.

The village and mountains For the village and mountains, van Gogh used mainly dark green and blue.

2.2.6 Exercise 2: If I were van Gogh, my view of the night sky would be …

•  comfortable or uneasy? •  cheerful or sad? •  peaceful or anxious? •  relaxed or excited?

Colour your painting in Exercise 1 to express your feelings of the night sky. Do you feel:

Artwork Description

I have used different colours to express my different feelings. The painting is full of blue colour. Blue can make us feel cold and lonely, but the orange and yellow moon as well as the yellow and white stars in the sky give us feelings of warmth and energy. The dark brown and green tree looks like it is on fire. It makes us feel nervous, anxious or scared.

Write an art description about the colours of your sketch in Exercise 2. The description should be round 50 words.

Artwork Description

3. Give your opinion

Do you like van Gogh’s “Starry Night”? Yes, I like “Starry Night” a lot. Why? The multi-coloured, thick brushstrokes impress me a lot. Also, the warm colours for the moon and stars give me feelings of energy and make the painting look hopeful.

Art Work Analysis (~150 words) The title of this painting is “Starry Night”, which was painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889 when he lived in southern France. It is about the night sky with the moon and some stars. A big cypress tree in the foreground on the left hand side is eye-catching. Also, it is possible to see that there is a small village in the middle-ground, with its church, houses and trees. In the background, there are mountains as well as more trees. Van Gogh has used thick, multi-coloured brushstrokes to produce curved and long lines to show that the tree looks like it is on fire. The spiral, curved and broken lines used for the night sky suggest that the artist saw it as full of energy with movement and rhythm. However, the combination of colour and lines can also indicate a dreamy atmosphere. The artist also uses different colours to express his feelings. The painting is full of blue colour, which is often used to express the cold and loneliness, but the orange and yellow moon as well as the yellow and white stars in the sky give the warmth and energy. The dark brown and green tree looks like it is on fire. It suggests that the artist was feeling anxious or scared. The brushstrokes, colours and lines used by van Gogh in “Starry Night” combine to create the emotions he felt as he looked out his sanatorium window at the French countryside. These feelings are so strong that the painting is considered to be one of the greatest paintings.

Introduction •  the artwork’s name, artist,

and year …

Body of the analysis •  The things you can

see

•  The lines and brushstrokes

•  the colours

Conclusion •  The combination of

content, colours, lines etc and the overall evaluation