Starry Night

Surprisingly, Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting during his life; however, Starry Night has become one of the most iconic works of art of the nineteenth century. Van Gogh painted Starry Night in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889. Art is something that means different things to different people, but this painting has many universal symbols in it.
     The viewer is immediately drawn to the swirling night sky, and although some of the features are exaggerated, a starry night sky is something that everyone can identify with. The painter's use of curving lines moves the viewer's eyes along the painting keeping the viewer captivated.
     The cool dark colors in the night sky as well as in the peaceful village below have a calming effect on the viewer. Near the center of town there is a large church steeple sticking up from the town as if casting a sense of religious stability.
     Lastly, there is the large, unavoidable black structure on the left side of the painting. Although I am unsure as to what the structure is (it could be a mountain, or a fortress) the structure is indeed gigantic compared to the rest of the buildings in the painting. Its curving lines mirror that of the sky creating dramatic depth in the painting.
     Although no one will ever know what Vincent Van Gogh had in mind when painting Starry Night, after all wasn't exactly sound of mind at this point in his life, this painting will continue to mystify and amaze future viewers.