Page 25 - KYTE INDIA E-MAGAZINE

Physicist Jose Luis Aragon compared the turbulent play of light and dark in such works as
"Starry Night" to the mathematical expression of turbulence in such natural occurrences as
as whirlpools and air streams. He found they matched very closely.

Analysts of "Starry Night" emphasize the symbolism of the stylized cypress tree in the
foreground, linking it to death and Van Gogh's eventual suicide. However, the cypress also
represents immortality. In the painting, the tree reaches into the sky, serving as a direct
connection between the earth and the heavens.

In his 2015 book, "Cosmographics," Michael Benson contends that the inspiration behind the
distinctive swirls in the sky of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is an 1845 drawing by astronomer
William Parsons, Earl of Rosse, of the Whirlpool Galaxy.

Research has confirmed that the dominant morning star in the painting is actually Venus,
which was in a similar position at the time Van Gogh was working on "Starry Night," and it
would have shone brightly, just as Van Gogh painted it.

The moon in the painting would not have been in the crescent phase as shown at the time Van
Gogh painted "Starry Night." In reality, it would have been gibbous, or about three-quarters
full.

Pathologist Paul Wolf postulated in 2001 that the artist's fondness for yellow in paintings like
"Starry Night" resulted from taking too much digitalis, a treatment in his day for epilepsy.

The painting resonates with art fans and the general public to the present day due in part
to its vibrant palette and to the swirling motion that seems to draw viewers right into the
center of the artist's fantastical vision.