The Night Sky That Changed Art

Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night is more than a painting of the night sky. It is a remarkable meeting of observation, memory and imagination.

In May 1889, Van Gogh entered the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, where he received treatment for his mental health. Painting remained an important part of his life, and the countryside surrounding the asylum provided fresh inspiration.

From his east-facing bedroom window, he could see the landscape before sunrise. He wrote to his brother Theo about the unusually bright morning star, which we now recognise as the planet Venus.

But the extraordinary picture he created in June 1889 was not simply a record of what he saw.

The village beneath the swirling sky could not actually be seen from his bedroom window. Van Gogh drew on other views and his imagination to create a composition that felt more powerful than a straightforward landscape.

Above the quiet rooftops, the heavens seem alive. Deep blue currents twist around brilliant stars, while a towering cypress tree rises from the earth towards the sky.

Van Gogh used energetic brushstrokes and rich colour to create a sense of movement. The contrast between the peaceful village and the restless heavens gives the painting much of its emotional impact.

Remarkably, although the scene depicts the night, Van Gogh worked on the painting during daylight hours.

The artist could hardly have imagined how famous his creation would become. Today, The Starry Night is one of the most celebrated paintings in the world and a treasured work in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Perhaps its greatest wonder is that it doesn’t merely show us what the night looks like.

It invites us to imagine what the night might feel like.