Van Gogh created The Starry Night in 1889. It’s a well-known piece of artwork worldwide. The painting shows a night sky filled with swirling blues and yellows. It also includes tall cypress trees that look like flames. These elements show the artist’s troubled thoughts. Van Gogh usually painted irises, sunflowers, or fields. So, this night scene is rare in his collection. Although Van Gogh called it just a “night study” in his letters, today it’s a key work in modern art.
Interesting The Starry Night Facts
The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh has long captivated the imagination of art lovers around the world. Housed within the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, New York City since 1941, it is brings joy to all those who come to see.
The painting has inspired musicians to write songs about it and you can even find shows that are devoted to it. Countless books have been written about the artwork. The Starry Night has become ingrained in the popular imagination. However, it was not always this way. When it was first painted, it was not clear that it would be the success that it is now seen to be today.
The painting still continues to intrigue today with new research even being put into it. For example in 2001, it was postulated that Van Gogh’s use of the color yellow, which is central to The Starry Night, was a result of him taking medicine for the treatment of his epilepsy. And other researchers have also come up with the analysis that the dominant star in the painting is actually Venus, which would have been shining brightly in the position where Van Gogh would have seen it when he was doing the painting.
Clearly, The Starry Night continues to capture the imagination.
Here are some five interesting The Starry Night facts that you may not have known about.
1. Vincent’s Brother, Theo Van Gogh, Was Unimpressed by The Starry Night
The Starry Night is one of Van Gogh’s most famous works today. However, when Vincent painted it, his brother Theo wasn’t as impressed. At the time, Theo managed an art gallery in Paris. He was good at understanding the latest trends in art criticism.
Theo Van Gogh once told Vincent, “I clearly see what you’re focused on in works like the moonlit village… But, the way you’re searching for a style seems to hide the real feelings.” Theo believed that the painting focused more on its style than on showing true emotions.
Even Vincent was not happy with the painting.
2. The Starry Night was Painted in an Asylum
In 1889, Van Gogh created The Starry Night while in an asylum near Saint-Rémy, France. After his difficult time with Paul Gauguin and a severe personal crisis, he ended up at this asylum. There, painting was part of his therapy.
Art critcs believe Van Gogh never left the asylum grounds much. Still, he painted The Starry Night by melding past works with his imagination and memories. He couldn’t paint the direct view from his window but used what was close to his studio.
3. It was painted on a year before his death
The Starry Night was painted in 1889, just before Van Gogh’s death. He was 37 when he died in 1890. In his last ten years, Van Gogh created more than 850 paintings. He also made nearly 1,300 drawings and sketches. This was amazing because he had only sold a few works.
When Van Gogh died, his art went to his brother Theo. Theo’s widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, made Vincent famous after his death. She did this by sharing their letters and showing his paintings, like The Starry Night.
4. It is Composed Out Different Elements – some Real, some Imagined
In The Starry Night, some parts are real, like the mountains and the village seen from Vincent Van Gogh’s window. However, other elements, such as the steeple on the church, were made up. Van Gogh saw the painting as a chance to use stylization intentionally. He wrote to his brother that this image is an exaggeration when it comes to how things are placed. It’s like the distortions you see in old woodcuts.
Vincent, just like his friends Bernard and Gauguin, was trying out a new style. They took some ideas from medieval woodcuts. These cuttings were known for their bold outlines and simple shapes. Mixing what’s real with what’s made up, their art became a mix of both.
Van Gogh mixed memory and imagination when creating The Starry Night. It wasn’t about showing exactly what he saw. For example, the steeple was not found in the town. Instead, he wanted to express what the night felt like. This mix of real and fake gave birth to a masterpiece. Today, this painting stands out as a key piece in modern art. It shows the unique power of an individual’s creative style.
5. It was the First Van Gogh to Enter a New York Museum Collection
In 1941, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City bought The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. It was a big deal because it was the first time a Van Gogh piece went into the museum’s collection. This shows how important the painting is in the world of Western art.
The MoMA had to let go of three paintings from Lillie P. Bliss’s collection to get The Starry Night. Bliss was one of the museum’s founders. She left her collection to the museum when she passed. Selling those paintings helped the MoMA get such a famous Van Gogh work. They knew it would be a big draw for visitors for many years.
Ever since the MoMA got The Starry Night, it’s been a highlight of their collection. It always captures the attention of people from all over. They’re especially drawn to how Van Gogh saw the night from his Saint-Rémy window. The painting is proof of the MoMA’s vision and Van Gogh’s lasting impact on art.
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