Description

Instantly recognizable as one of the most iconic images of modern culture, Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night draws thousands of visitors every day at The Museum of Modern Art. Yet few are familiar with the story behind this unlikely masterpiece, envisioned and executed by Van Gogh during his stay at a mental hospital in Saint-Rémy. The Starry Night is no ordinary landscape painting, with its surging forces, resonant chromatics and mysterious shapes that reflect Van Gogh's unique state of mind at the time. In this informative volume--the latest in a series on favorite artists and important works in MoMA's collection--distinguished art historian Richard Thomson provides an overview of the painting within the context of its creation, bringing together Van Gogh's correspondence regarding the painting and the Parisian art scene of his time with an in-depth exploration of his technique and style. Highlighting significant details not easily visible at first glance, and illustrated with dozens of comparable works, Vincent van Gogh: The Starry Night is an indispensable guide to one of the most famous paintings of the nineteenth century.