The visual artwork that is selected for this project is one of Vincent van Gogh’s most popular masterpieces called Starry Night. The purpose of selecting this particular artwork is partly due to the conflicting interpretation that people have of the inspiration and intentions of the artist when he created this artwork. In addition, the mixture of colors and the vivid combinations of strokes that expresses the artist’s style and his personality.
Introduction
Visual artworks does not only bring out emotion and appreciation from onlookers because of its aesthetic value. Instead, a lot can be said about an image based on the colors, the strokes and the arrangement of objects within a canvas. The personality of the artist, as well as their perceptions, beliefs and influences are also revealed from their artworks.
Thesis Statement: For the purpose of this visual analysis, this paper would like to use one of Vincent van Gogh’s most popular and widely critiqued artwork—Starry Night. The said artwork is a testimony that art brings out the artist’s feelings. This paper would like to understand one of the world’s most intriguing artist of the 19th century based on the techniques, colors, and combination of strokes he used in painting the Starry Night.
Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most controversial artist of the 19th century. He was mostly known for being eccentric and cutting his ear only to use it as a subject for his paintings. At one point of his life, he was locked in solitary confinement in an asylum in 1889, which he voluntarily did for himself. A few months after, Van Gogh painted the Starry Nights.
Visual Analysis
For the purpose of visual analysis, this paper will evaluate the selected artwork based on three factors: (a) colors, (b) strokes, and (c) techniques.
Colors
The artist used a combination of contrasting colors that can be interpreted in several ways. One of which depicts the personal and inner conflicts that the artist might have been experiencing. Colors say a lot about the overall emotion and sentiments of the artist and given the life of the artist, this used of color can reveal what was predominantly the artist’s emotions during the process of painting this particular artwork.
Strokes
Van Gogh used a combination of strokes in his painting. Majority of the most evident strokes were flowing and semicircular strokes. However, there were still other strokes used in the painting Starry Night like scumbling, smooth and glazing strokes. This created texture and a realistic effect to the artwork. However, painting strokes are believed to say something about the artist’s personality.
Techniques
In creating the painting Starry Night, the artist decided to use oil on canvas technique. The inspiration was a landscape but it went away with the realistic presentation but it was painted more from the impressionist’s point of view.
Conclusion
The discussion will present an overall result of the assessment that would connect the factors that the artist used to create the painting with the personality and the life of the artist. This would give the readers and onlookers the impression of how much of the artist’s personality and his life is a reflection of his art.
The image of Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night
Works Cited
MacPherson, Kevin. Fill Your Oil Paintings with Light & Color. New York: North Light Books, 2000. Print.
Naifeh, Steven and Gregory White Smith. Van Gogh: The Life. New York: Random House, 2011. Print.
Salaski, Cindy and George Gallo. Impressionist Painting for the Landscape: Secrets for Successful Oil Painting. New York: North Light Books, 2015. Print.
The Art Story Foundation. Vincent van Gogh. 3 November 2012. Web. 23 June 2015.
