The reason for my choice to write about Van Gogh’s Starry Night is that I believe it signifies a significant advancement in abstract art. Van Gogh adeptly merges his distinct worldview with his profound emotions to produce a visually unique representation of a small village in southern France. Starry Night is genuinely unparalleled, both artistically and technically. Although it is inspired by a real village visited by Van Gogh, the painting presents a distorted portrayal of actual, organic shapes that are undeniably abstract. This distortion serves as an embodiment of the pioneering artistic style later recognized as abstract.
Abstract art is characterized by purposefully simplifying, fragmenting, or distorting the forms of the visual world. In this painting, Van Gogh's representation of abstraction is evident in two distinct ways. Firstly, he exaggerates the s
...ize of the stars to the point where they are almost equivalent to the conventional depiction of our sun. This distortion may signify the presence of spirits on each star. Secondly, Van Gogh simplifies the form of various elements in the scene, including the stars, buildings, mountains, and trees. His signature brush strokes are highly simplistic, resulting in a lack of detail in the depiction of the small village.
Van Gogh deliberately chooses to forgo replicating the precise detail of the village as he originally saw it in favor of employing bold colors and distinctive shapes. This allows him to capture the true spirit of the scene, as he experienced it. During your lecture on abstract art, you discussed how one characteristic of this artistic style is the artist's ability to simplify the subject down to its core. I believe that this painting exemplifies precisely
this approach. Through Van Gogh's uncomplicated yet emotionally stirring portrayal of Starry Night, he successfully conveys the essence, beauty, and inspiration of the scene.
