Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”.

University Degree Creative Arts and Design

VINCENT VAN GOGH’S “STARRY NIGHT”

INTRODUCTION:

In American history, many historians had revered the concept of frontier. One such historian is Frederick Jackson Turner, in his book “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” indicated that the evolution of English colonization in the American Frontier was one of the most important age in developing the American continent. This could be compared to as a piece of art where the artist first explores and then finally matures to his work.

Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most important Impressionist, is an ideal artist whose work could be used to interpret the concept of “frontierism”. For this reason his work is taken as an example to illustrate how American frontier came into being, the struggle of our forefathers fruitful to today’s American society. Turner had indicated that:

". the most important effect of the frontier has been in the promotion of democracy. [The] frontier is productive of individualism." (Frederick Jackson Turner, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History.")

In this context Van Gogh’s work is compared so that the concept of individuality could be enhanced. How Americans came to the conclusion of democracy and through which chain of logical conclusions.

THESIS

In this paper Vincent Van Gogh’s work “Starry Night” has been taken as the metaphorical frontier, which could be compared, to the age of “Frontierism.” Starry Night clearly shows that traditions could be broken in order to achieve a higher level of development whether it is in the aesthetic sense or in the ways of life. Van Gogh’s Starry Night therefore is similar to the concept portrayed by Turner.

VAN GOGH’S STARRY NIGHT:

Starry Night is one of Van Gogh’s most renown works. A piece of brilliant aesthetic art it is a still life ...

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THESIS

VAN GOGH’S STARRY NIGHT:

Starry Night is one of Van Gogh’s most renown works. A piece of brilliant aesthetic art it is a still life portrayal of a starry night in Saint Remy. The painting is based on a deep blue background with the shadows of cathedral most prominent painted in black shades on the left portion of the painting. The major portion is covered with depiction of stars that are swirled in faint clouds. On the right hand side is a bright yellow sickle moon that illuminates the small town near the mountain at the bottom of the painting. The clouds are painted in a curly way so that it gives a sweeping feeling to the painting as if it is encompassing the scene gradually. Despite the presence of the small town, the mountains’ silhouette gives it a wild look that is unconquerable. The light of the stars is painted in dotted patterns to give it a mosaic texture. The painting used a combination of black, blue and yellow colors to give it a bluish golden effect thereby capturing the essence of a starry night. [Boime, Albert. "Starry Night: A History of Matter, A Matter of History]

VAN GOGH’S STYLE:

Starry Night is a complex piece of work to understand due the historical background of the painting. One reason is that most of Van Gogh’s work has had detailed review by himself written in various letters to his brother Theo. But this particular piece did not have such opinions from the artist himself. Instead it was mentioned fleetingly in two of his letters. Critics and commentators derive their conclusions through his other works like “Road with Cypress and Star" and “Field of ripe wheat” that had similar backgrounds of stars. So like America’s history where the abundance of resources was hidden. It was not known that America holds such enormous resources till later when colonist began to move westward. [Elgar, Frank. Van Gogh: A study of his life and work]

However, what makes this painting so different than other paintings is its artistic work. Van Gogh’s unique style is evident in his sweeping strokes of the clouds and the mountains. The color combination is bold yet intricate. This kind of approach to still life has not been taken up by other artists. It is this painting that showed the mature approach of Van Gogh towards life. Despite his autobiography saying that he was in an asylum, was not mentally fit when he painted it, Starry stands out because of its differentiation from other work. It clearly showed the artists gradual understanding of the universe around him [that constellation of the stars and moon], the significance of a sweeping landscape against a small world [the village]. The painting could also be interpreted as a means to Van Gogh’s desire to conquer new avenues [the mountains] where he was the sweeping cloud and the frontier he wanted to conquer was far beyond the universe – the stars. [Boime, Albert.]

Why he chose the topic of his painting as the stars could also be interpreted as he sees the world a dark place where there are various opportunities that could be seen but yet unattainable – the stars. But in terms of American history, it could be interpreted, as America was an untamed land where there were glorious opportunities for man to conquer. It may seem unconquerable but it is not so out of reach. Since it will always be there, man could eventually reach it by understanding it. As later one read through his works, one finds out that the stars showed in painting is in congruent to the constellation of the stars in that era. [Heinich, Nathalie. The Glory of Van Gogh: An Anthropology of Admiration]

The use of golden coloring could be compared as the gold rush that was attracting most Europeans to the continent in the first place. The golden light was affecting the colonies in an incredible way that was not imaginable. People poured in the continent from all parts of the world. America was engulfed by this gold mania. Indeed the painting has an engulfing feel of the stars golden light. [Turner]

CONCLUSION:

Van Gogh’s work is so similar to the frontier that posed to the colonist of Americas. Foremost, it was a unique art form that was independent of any traditional artistic rules. The painting gives one the feeling of freedom of expression, which was Van Gogh’s motive. So like the American frontier, Starry Night was the result of a mental struggle, which would eventually become clear to the onlooker that it has significant importance in history.

WORKS CITED:

Frederick Jackson Turner, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History." New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1921

Boime, Albert. "Starry Night: A History of Matter, A Matter of History (CD-ROM)". http://www.voyagerco.com/catalog/starrynight/indepth/composition.html.

Elgar, Frank. Van Gogh: A study of his life and work New York : Frederick A. Praeger Publishers,1966.

Heinich, Nathalie. The Glory of Van Gogh: An Anthropology of Admiration New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1996.