Starry, Starry Night

                       

                                                                             

                                                        The Starry Night ~ Travel to MoMA 

    

Drawn in by the swirling movement of the night sky and the brilliant glow of the moonlight cast upon the sleepy town below, my thoughts are taken to the artist who called this work a failure and never knew it would one day be considered one of the most famous paintings in the world. “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh was part of a study on the night sky and was composed during his stay at a mental asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. Van Gogh was fueled by inner turmoil and “transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty.” This masterpiece is no exception and is said to captivate and confuse its observers. What feelings and emotions does it evoke in you? 

The Artist 

To fully appreciate and allow us to connect with this work of art, we must first explore the artist. Vincent Willem van Gogh arrived into this world on March 30, 1853, exactly one year after the passing of his brother by the same name. He would literally be the “replacement child” for his grieving parents. Vicent would lead a life plagued with mental health issues and emotional turmoil, experiencing hallucinations and bipolar behaviors. His struggles were no secret to him, he’d acknowledge that “What I see, nobody else sees and sometimes it frightens me.”

                                                 

                                                          Vincent van Gogh Self-Portrait 1889

In 1889, he would check himself into a mental asylum in Saint-Remy, France, and over his twelve-month stay, he would create over a hundred paintings, including self-portraits, irises, and, of course, "The Starry Night". “I put my heart and soul into my work, and I have lost my mind in the process.” He would live a life in constant search of stability and internal peace and ultimately succumb to his internal demons, taking his own life on July 19, 1890. 

Vincent never knew the impact his works would have on this world or the attention they would get. If only he knew, his story might have been different. I happened upon this clip some years back, and the emotion conveyed is beautiful, giving us a glimpse at what his response may have been, if only. Enjoy ~ Vincent Clip.

The Painting

In the early summer of 1889, van Gogh crafted his depiction of the starry night sky from the view of an observer looking out over a distant village. Using a combination of earlier works, imagination, and surprising accuracy, the images explode off the canvas and draw the viewer into this magical landscape scene filled with movement and flow. Van Gogh was inspired by the night sky and found it more colorful and alive than the day, yet he struggled with painting it. He would dedicate a study to work toward capturing its varying light and weather conditions, using pencil then brush and paint, he’d ultimately capture it like none other.

                               
              Drawing from the night sky study. 
                       
In a letter to his sister, Willemien van Gogh, he pens his poetic thoughts on how the night’s sky is far more than meets the eye. 

“It often seems to me that the night is even more richly colored than the day, colored with the most intense violets, blues, and greens. If you look carefully, you’ll see that some stars are lemony, others have a pink, green, forget-me-not blue glow. And without laboring the point, it’s clear to paint a starry sky it’s not nearly enough to put white spots on blue-black.”

Swirling blues and white, and stars of yellow, spiraling across the sky. The crescent moon and its glow cascading over the cottages, church, steeple, and fields below. The dark looming branches of the cypress tree, close by and swaying with the wind. We are there, the observer looking out upon this majesty. What a gift we have been given by this artist whose own turbulent mind would overshadow him with chaos and challenge and control him.

                         
                          The amazing accuracy of the stars' location.

Residing in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City since 1941, visitors line up outside, waiting for the doors to open, then race in to experience this magnificent piece up close, "The Starry Night."       

The Connection 

“Maybe God made me a painter for people who aren't born yet.” Yes, Vincent, I believe He did. Each of van Gogh’s works seems to hold a deep and powerful story within, and "The Starry Night," possibly more than all the others. This iconic and timeless piece is vibrant, exciting, and viewers find it to be deeply personal and expressive, reflecting not only Vincent's own mental state but evoking their curiosities, sorrows, wonders, and struggles. It is a celebration of nature, existence, turmoil, and mystery that is inspiring and powerful. Take a moment and think about how it grabs your soul as you listen to this touching song about Vincent van Gogh and how no one understood him or his work while he was alive. Vicent by Don McLean.