"The Starry Night," painted by Vincent van Gogh, is one of the most well-known paintings of all time. It's certainly the most famous of van Gogh's own works.
Below you'll find a video of Don Mclean's song, "Starry Starry Nights." This song is about van Gogh, and you'll find an explanation of the lyrics at the van Gogh gallery.
Next is a video showing van Gogh's self-portraits.
Van Gogh painted more than one night-time scene with stars, but "The Starry Night" became much more well-known than the next two below. Why? And why did "The Starry Night" become more famous than so many of his other works? You can get some ideas at vangoghgallery.com. Then tell us what you think.
Starry Night over the Rhone
The Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum, at Night
Hmm...I think it's maybe just the swirly skies that give the first painting such appeal---it is different and intriguing. I do like the other two also, but probably the first one and the one to the right are my favorites. It is amazing that he only sold one painting while alive. Most people with artistic geniuses (artists and musicians/composers) are not appreciated until long after they've died.
ReplyDeleteI think he had a really hard life although most of his paintings weren’t so good although I liked a few.
ReplyDeleteWhich paintings do you like - which ones do you think are good? I think Van Gogh's stuff was best when he gave up copying the impressionists. I think he was great at combining colors and making art more alive than the calm, pretty impressionists. I think Starry Nights became the famous painting because it was so different from everyone else. His other night-time paintings are calm and sort of reflective, but Starry Night is alive and moving. I think it's great art, even if I wouldn't hang it in my bedroom.
ReplyDeleteNever thought of the religious angle--but with that suggestion in mind, I couldn't help be think of the brightest globe, the moon, as representing Christ (risen), and the 11 stars his surviving apostles (after Judas' demise). The swirls, representing perhaps the great activity, beauty, commotion and, in some cases, turmoil that Christianity would bring about while redeeming mankind.
ReplyDeleteVincent Van Gogh? Wasn't he the guy who was reading Marc Antony's famous soliloquy in William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and came to the part where Antony said "Friends, Romans, Countrymen! Lend me your ear...."
ReplyDeleteAnd this is how we know that even though Van Gogh's art may lean more to the Impressionism, in his reading he was, sadly, a Literalist.
p.s. This post maybe should get extra demerits for managing to mangle art, literature and history all at the same time.
Extra demerits AND extra credit to anonymous above for mixing in the humor with the mangling.
ReplyDeleteI think "The Starry Night" is famous because it's so different from everything else. The painting is bright and unusual and strange but also interesting. I think people tend to like the colors and the swirls and since people liked it, it got famous.
ReplyDeleteDear Ms. Tatiana,
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting, I would love to learn about stars one day. They are al l very fasinating. THe paintings are exquisite and unbeieveable, you wouldn't believe that they would paint something so brilliant. I'd love to read more of your blog.
Aimee
I love Van Gogh paintings. THanks!
ReplyDeletethese paintings are quite inspirational. It shows a high level of skill and class that modern art seems to lack..in my opinion anyway.
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