Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Ashley Nicholson_Starry Night Prompt_Blog#2


Starry Night by Van Gogh is a very intriguing work of art.  It catches and holds the attention of its viewer due to its uniquely drawn sky and its exaggeration on certain objects.  The swirling cloud in the sky is the first feature that caught my attention because it is placed in the center and is an unusual way to draw a cloud.  The exaggerated vivid light around the stars and moon cause them to stand out much more than they do in the real night sky.  The moving clouds and various blues seen in the sky give off a sense of coldness and comfort, because most individuals can relate to a cold, windy night.  Down below is the town which looks peaceful and those who live there are awake due to the light coming through the windows of the houses.  The town seems peaceful because there are no people outside and from this observation I infer that there is a curfew for everyone to be inside once night falls.  Placed in the foreground of the painting is a huge black object.  Van Gogh did not draw this object clear, which I believe he did on purpose to give the artwork a mystery and leave its viewer thinking and wandering about what it may be and how it connects to the rest of the painting.  This causes its viewers to develop their own interpretation of what Van Gogh is portraying, which leads to discussions and differences of opinion.  In my opinion the black object is a tree that is located on top of a very large hill.     

The way Van Gogh painted this artwork makes the viewer feel as though they are standing on a very tall hill that looks over the town.  In my opinion there is a person on top of a hill on a cold, windy night looking at a small town.  The color blue is often associated with depression so the person standing on the hill may be going through a troubling time in their life. 

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