The Starry Night
The Starry Night depicts a swirling night sky over a village in southern France, painted from van Gogh's room at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum. It is one of the most recognized works in Western art.
The Starry Night (1889) was painted by Vincent van Gogh during his voluntary stay at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France. In a letter to his brother Theo, van Gogh described the view from his window -- a night sky full of drama and energy.
The painting depicts a turbulent sky of swirling blue and black clouds dotted with bright, spiraling stars. A crescent moon dominates the upper right, casting its light over a village below. In the foreground, a large cypress tree -- often associated with death and mourning in Mediterranean culture -- reaches dramatically upward into the night.
Technically, van Gogh used short, thick brushstrokes of intense color to create the impression of movement and energy. The painting anticipates 20th-century Expressionism in its emotional intensity and willingness to distort reality for psychological effect.