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Starry Night

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Starry Night Analysis
Date of Creation:
1889
Height (cm):
73.70
Length (cm):
92.10
Medium:
Oil
Support:
Canvas
Subject:
Landscapes
Characteristics:
Post-impressionism
Framed:
Yes
Art Movement:
Post-Impressionism
Created by:
Vincent van Gogh
Current Location:
New York, New York
Owner:
Museum of Modern Art
Starry Night Analysis Page's Content Composition Use of color Use of Light Mood, Tone and Emotion Brushstroke

Starry Night Composition
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Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh
The night sky depicted by van Gogh in the Starry Night painting is brimming with whirling clouds, shining stars, and a bright crescent moon. The setting is one that viewers can relate to and van Gogh´s swirling sky directs the viewer´s eye around the painting, with spacing between the stars and the curving contours creating a dot-to-dot effect. These internal elements ensure fluidity and such contours were important for the artist even though they were becoming less significant for other Impressionists. Thus Starry Night´s composition was distinct from the Impressionist technique of the 19thcentury.

The artist was aware that his Starry Night composition was somewhat surreal and stylized and in a letter to his brother he even referred to "exaggerations in terms of composition. " The vivid style chosen by van Gogh was unusual - he chose lines to portray this night scene when silhouettes would have been a more obvious choice.

In Starry Night contoured forms are a means of expression and they are used to convey emotion. Many feel that van Gogh´s turbulent quest to overcome his illness is reflected in the dimness of the night sky. The village is painted with dark colors but the brightly lit windows create a sense of comfort. The village is peaceful in comparison to the dramatic night sky and the silence of the night can almost be felt in Starry Night.

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