Art, Madness, and the Starry Night
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- Опубликовано: 2 июл 2024
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In 2019 CNN measured paintings’ fame by the number of Google searches and found The Starry Night was the third most searched for painting in the world, behind two paintings by Leonardo- the Mona Lisa and The Last supper. It is regularly described as “history’s most famous celestial scene.” And it was created, as so many famous works of art have been, by a man suffering from insanity- the scene is seen from the window of his room in an asylum.
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Script by THG
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As several viewers have noted, The Starry Night is in the Museum of Modern Art, not the Metropolitan Museum of Art. ruclips.net/user/momavideos
My daughter and I saw it at MoMA
Thanks so much for this upload and the one you did yesterday, Dec. 9, 2022 on Sargent. I really admire his talent and works.
Good sir, just one correction. As I work at MoMA, in NYC. Starry Night is here, on permanent exhibition, gallery 502. And as one might guess, is an extremely popular destination for viewers here. Your presentation of Vincent, was wonderful.
I visited the MoMA in 2014 and saw it there! Incredible to see in person. The textures were unreal.
My understanding of Van Gogh's ear changed forever a few years ago when a homeless artist I knew cut his ear off in attempt to make the horrible ringing of Meniere's Disease stop. He did not know about Van Gogh, but he was an alcoholic with both bipolar disorder and advanced heavy metals poisoning. In his dementia he reasoned that cutting off his ear would solve the problem he had with his deafening tinnitus. As to the relationship between art and madness... I wish to credit the artists rather than the madness. The art is made despite the madness, not because of it. Thank you for saying it out loud.
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy, linen land
Now, I understand what you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
Now, I understand, what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now, I think I know what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
~"Vincent", Don McLean 1971
Love that song, sad and beautiful at the same time.
Beat a few thousand of us to it! Well done!
Thanks 4 the lyrics!
This is the song that plays at the museum where this painting is on display.
Very nice Billy! Just about on everyone's list of songs they love to listen too.
CORRECTION: At 6:10, "Vincent had only begun to gain acclaim in the art world and most of his paintings went unsold....did not become well known until marketed by his wife Joanna after his death." Joanna van Gogh was the wife of Vincent's brother Theo. Vincent van Gogh himself never married.
Thank you. That is what I remembered.
Don McLean wrote a song about van Gogh and Starry Night in 1971 on his American Pie album. Great 8-track!
"I could have told you Vincent, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you." McLean
Check out the movie Vincent and Theo. Its great.
@@artcflowers
The letters between Vincent and his brother are just heartbreaking. The died only a few months after Vincent, of supposedly a broken heart...he could not survive the loss of his brother in such a tragic way.
The whole family seemed to have some serious depression...
I bought it in 8 track and cassette and CD and it is on My favorites list...
@@dennisriblett4622
When that song came out, I remember my mom getting tears in her eyes, and whenever it came on the radio, she would drop everything to listen and cry a bit...
It may have come out in 8 track but it's true home is vinyl.
I have known many artists through the years who "walked the ragged edge" so I always feel darkly amused when new parents exclaim how wonderful it is when their toddler starts to display artistic abilities. I think "Well, you may be in for a wild ride."
Same with any creatively talented person whether artists actors musicians, even high thinkers ride the envelope of madness and genius
100%
I can testify that family members with mental illness HAVE used art as an outlet and a way to communicate. Your presentation was very sensitive to mental illness and I applaud you for it. It’s difficult, even with modern medicine, to live with it. Thank you for understanding!
My father lived with severe bipoler disorder for as long as I can remember. He wrote a poem about it likening it to sailng a ship alone during a storm. He died in August of 2020 and my sister read it at his memorial service.
mine's nowhere near as hard an illness as many people's, but I do know that I can sometimes keep it from getting bad by designing and putting my quilts together. Or at least make it take longer for my depression to take over
I seem to have escaped it however having 2 great grandparents, one grandparent and a father suffering from the disease... including various Aunts, cousins and Uncles & a daughter, I seem to have escaped but yes. Alcohol always seems to be the preferred medication.
Apparently I also repeat myself on an ongoing and reoccurring basis LoL
Jeanne Calment, who died at the age of 122 (up for dispute), claimed to have known Van Gogh, having sold him art supplies in their village. I think she actually appears in a film or movie at some point, talking about him. Can you imagine talking to someone who actually knew Van Gogh? He seems like an unreal icon today... he is my favorite artist, and and influenced my own life as an artist tremendously. I suffered from depression when young, and feel so much for anyone who walks that path. Learning to have compassion for ourselves, as well as others, and finding expression that relieves the pain of life, helps more than anything to navigate the lonely roads everyone must travel...that's why I love history so much, I realize I am not alone, that all human beings are in some way, scarred, and those scars are reminders of toughness that remains after the wound heals, we are stronger because of them, not just in spite of them. Just my opinion only, everyone has different ideas...
You have to wonder if Ms. Calment kept any of Mr. Van Gogh's IOU's?
Happy Thanksgiving Christine Paris!
@@georgemckenna462
You too! Thanks!
I also feel that my early depression made me a kinder, more sympathetic person. It worries me how technology is getting close to determining one’s DNA/genetic makeup with a blood test. How many people are going to want a “perfect “ child and abort them if they have depression, bi-polar disease, alcoholism, etc. The arts, and other fields, will suffer
i got one of those globes and set it on my desk and i have been talking to myself about it for weeks now. Once in a while one of my cats has to put his two cents in.
As with most creative people, I have had my ups and downs over the years when it came to creativity. Writers call it writer's block, but we all experience it to some degree in our flavor of creativity. My area tends to be in 3D animation. However, in Jan. I experienced a small stroke. And although it had a limited short-term effect on my left arm, I was mostly 100% recovered in a few weeks. But the one thing I have noticed is that the bouts of creativity and non-creativity swing wildly and extremely. I could not even open my 3D app for months, even though I had just before the stroke invested in a newer, more powerful system. Then one day about 5 months after my stroke I suddenly had more creative energy than I had in years. Finding myself working 10-15 hours a day on new projects wile working with even other ideals in my mind at night. I built 3 projects more detailed and more inventive than I ever had before. Then after finishing the 3rd. It all disappeared again almost as fast as it came. At one point, I could not even get motivated to build a simple illustration. Now it is slowly coming back again, and I'm sure it will also be a wave of highs and lows, maybe not as extreme as the first. I write all this to say I can see how mental issues can affect dramatically the creativity one has. This is a very intriguing and eye-opening video, Mr Geiger. Thank you very much!
Art (namely music) has been cathartic for me for sure. I was diagnosed with PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety prior to leaving the military. I've always found The Starry Night to be soothing in a way, perhaps the turbulence portrayed is a reflection of the turbulence of the mind.
Let’s not forget about the Doctor Who episode of Van Gogh where they essentially introduced the starry night among others to the younger generations, including myself. My wife and I have several objects at home with this painting on it. Just a beautiful painting on its own, outside of any deeper meaning drawn from it.
One of my favorite episodes of Doctor Who.
Vincent & the Doctor is not only one of the best episodes of Doctor Who, but also one of the best of any TV show. The way it handles depression & mental illness is without peer.
"But if these things aren't real, how can a man see them?". Big Chief, describing his hallucinations (fog rolling through the asylum corridors) in the novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
What is reality?
Thanks, THG for prompting some memories.
1. Having been mostly normal but a bit depressed, I learned what insanity is like one day when I took the first dose of a prescribed common antidepressant, only to find myself overtaken by the most intense attack of anxiety and dread I had not before and hope to never again experience. I was literally pacing the room reciting to myself "I can't take this" and "This is scary" and "This is not real, but what if it was?", and "No, don't kill yourself, it's only the meds". I called an ambulance, they arrived and reassured me my vital signs were fine and I was not going to die. It was such a horrible experience that to this day I have so much sympathy for those who suffer from mental illness of any kind.
2. In 1996 My ex. designed a tour of Europe to see as many artworks and related as possible. We visited many of the places in his life and scenes in his works, including the Night Cafe. I am more into music, but I appreciated then his impressionistic style and use of colour.
As always, an interesting and informative presentation. You stated correctly that the current wisdom is that Vincent van Gogh suffered from bipolar 1 disorder with possible comorbid conditions (e.g. temporal love epilepsy). As a psychiatrist, I'd like to add a few of my own insights. I often wondered if he did not also "suffer" from synesthesia. In this condition, the signals for the five senses cross and visions can appear as sounds, tastes as visions, etc. Something to think about.
I would like to distinguish between bipolar 1 disorder and bipolar 2 disorder. In the former, one is prone to extremes of mood with the two poles being mania and depression. In the manic phase, one is prone to paranoid and grandiose delusions, agitated and euphoric mood, vey high energy, lack of need of sleep, and reckless behaviors (e.g. hypersexuality, reckless driving, increased substance use, irresponsible spending). If one of these activities doesn't kill the person, then kidney failure from rhabdomyolysis or suicide might. Hypomania often precedes the manic phase. In hypomania, the person has a decreased need for sleep, has increased energy, has increased mood sensitivity but remains highly focused and is very productive. If one never falls into mania but vacillates between hypomania and depression (e.g. bipolar 2 disorder) or hypomania and dysthymia (a milder form of depression) (e.g. bipolar 3 disorder aka cyclothymia), then one can avoid the damage that mania can cause. Indeed, some of the most productive and successful people in society may suffer from bipolar 2 disorder or cyclothymia. Of course, the depressed phase its own sources of risk. Bipolar disorder is an episodic disease similar to multiple sclerosis, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis in that there are flare ups interspersed with periods of relative normality. In any case, all evidence points to Vincent van Gogh having bipolar 1 disorder with much his best work being created during the hypomanic run-up to full mania.
I do indeed have several of van Gogh's prints on my walls (including "The Starry Night") that were framed in a workshop by some of our patients (they were paid for this work). Within Creedmoor Psychiatric Center (Queens Village, NY) there is a museum of patient art. In 1999, HBO presented the documentary "The Living Museum" about it. Excerpts are here at this link: ruclips.net/video/UOMMHm9SKPM/видео.html
Finally, there have been a couple of great movies about Vincent van Gogh. Most famously is Kirk Douglas's "Lust for Life." My favorite film about van Gogh, however, was Robert Altman's 1990 film "Vincent and Theo."
Thanks for this forum.
Synesthesia (and some intense mania I'm sure) always seemed,to me, to be the entire reason for Starry Night.
Thank you for your expertise in the subject. I agree with your assessment that bipolarity was his major problem. And I agree, that synesthesia is part of Vincent's diagnoses. The flowing colors that contain light are just what some of us see. Also what seizures look like from inside. I have a diagnosis of depression but I'm sure there's more going on. I too am an artist. I grew up thinking everyone organized their world according to colors. My form of synesthesia is grapheme-color but I also can see music and flavors! The little bit of chaos that synesthesia offers can be fun and soothing, a boon to anyone who suffers with mood disorder. It is important to the creative process for me as a sculptor. I have come to realize that yes my mental illness makes me suffer sometimes just like migraines which are part of my condition. But without this brain condition, I would not have the perspective I do, or the openness. What mental illness has put me through has made me unafraid to go into my dark places and glean from them the gemstones creativity offers. Of course I can say these things because I have the safety of medication that keeps me from such terrible imbalances I had as a young person. That same hypersensitivity that is so painful can bring insight and wisdom too.
Poor Vincent, he had that but no relief from the pain and numbness, except alcohol or opiates. Then the silence. Part of me wishes we didn't idolize Van Gogh for his madness like it's glamorous. Only that he overcame it long enough to give his love of beauty to the world.
Bipolar guy here . During times of mania i am compelled to create things , I feel like a tornado of nervous energy, having panic attacks over and over unless I am making art that I can put that pain into .
Former bipolar gal here. I'm a general crafter and have gone through the 'MUST CREATE EVERYTHING!' episodes. It has to go somewhere, let it be into creating
When I was in elementary school we had an art class assignment where we had to paint like Van Gogh, paint strokes and having the strokes have different looks. It was one of the better art projects for me. I've always liked his work because of that class. I didn't match him but I did get that painting on the wall in the hallways which is a minor elementary school accomplishment, lol.
That’s an elementary school that sets the bar high - not the usual painting of grandma’s house.
@@brianarbenz1329 to be fair I prob had 3 out of 20 project make the wall but the Van Gogh project was my best one if I'm being honest. The Gogh a paper mache mask and a piece that used pastel crayons to show reflection.
Vincent VanGogh in his twenties was diagnosed with syphilis. Today is known to eventually spread to the brain and causes death. He was dying the whole time and as an impressionist artis he wasn't well respected and most weren't during the times. But he was one of the most gifted and his work is really amazing. THGIR
Hmmmm..... 🤔 Half half remembering high school health class; untreated syphilis is pretty nasty. Mommy said, girls like that will always get you in trouble. Too bad penicillin hadn't been invented yet.
@@WALTERBROADDUS it’s how he contracted it, a frequent visitor of brothels so he knew he was dying and the struggles associated with dying. Truly an impressive body of work over his lifetime from black and white sketches to portraits and finally the Impressionist work. He truly struggled and pushed thru it, you can see all of that in his work.
If you love Van Gogh, watch "Loving Vincent," a wonderful film done 100% with oil paintings derived directly from Van Gogh's paintings. It weaves a wonderful story of his last days and gives very different conclusions to the ear episode and his "suicide." The story is much more merciful to Vincent.
I absolutely love that film
Another great film about Vincent is at eternitys gate
I have that on DVD. But the strong British accents detract from it a bit.
Your shirt, your vest, your tie, and your glasses are the colors found in the starry night painting! Subconcious or intentional, you resonate. . .
not even close. Same color space (blue and yellow) maybe but not "the colors found in the painting".
Is also cool because I have heard& read, that blue & green don't go together. I always thought, why the blue sky and green grass & leaves?
It's an internal resonance, as you say. Like sympathetic strings on a Sitar. Too many sabotage the general on technical exceptionaities. They can't see the "tree for the leaves". Thanks for your statement. The first responder is emotionally constipated, a.k.a. a " bore". Lol!
There's a lovely episode of Dr. Who in which Vincent is brought through time to attend an exhibition of his work at a prestigious museum. It's a tear-jerker.
I stave off insanity in these crazy, modern times by listening to and watching The History Guy. 👍. By learning about history I know where I am (or rather, where I’m not) and which way I must be going. 😄
I think the reason Vincent’s Starry Night is so popular on the Internet is due to another brilliant work of art called “Vincent”, by singer/writer Don McLean; which was of course written as a tribute to Van Gogh. The opening lyrics of which are an unforgettably sung and guitar backed, “Starry, starry night.” The whole text of the lyrics are presented by other commenters here. It’s just a beautiful, masterfully written song that tugs at our emotions, our sympathy, even brings tears.
I can’t look at van Gogh’s Starry Night without hearing McLean’s “Starry, starry night.”
John Wayne's comment to Kirk Douglas, "how could you play such a weak man"! always comes back to me.
I've always thought false bravado was cover for ignorance.
@@tadroid3858 if by ignorance you mean incredulity & lack of empathy, the inability to conceive of someone so different, then perhaps yes?
@@HM2SGT Exactly!
I have always said, that great art is rarely produced by someone who is happy and well-adjusted.
I think art history backs that up fairly well.
Like many these days, it's been a tough couple of years for me. But it does make me feel like I'm in good company every time I pick up a brush, or pen.
Thanks for every thing Vincent.
My wife and I visited the Amsterdam Van Gogh museum a few years ago and we were absolutely enthralled by the art of that tortured man. We bought a print of the Sunflowers there and have subsequently bought a print of the Starry Night.
My personal feeling is that his art was a product of his suffering, but whatever the truth is, we shall never know for certain. He was a great artist, and he deserves to be remembered as such.
Excellent episode, sir. Bravo. I am a professional symphony orchestra musician. I am bipolar, or manic-depressive as it was called in the 1960s when I was diagnosed. I am also dyslexic. I was allowed to join the beginning band at the age of 11 and that music has sustained me all these years. I delved into it - TURNED to it, relied on it, clung to it - because I *needed* it. It has kept me alive through a lifetime of suicidal thoughts and even a few attempts. I know that it keeps me alive. I also know that it feeds my problems. It is like being trapped in a loop, and no one understands me except for other musicians similarly afflicted.
Thank you so much for presenting mental illness with respect rather than the vilification that is so common today. Thank you for acknowledging that while those who suffer through living with a mental illness, we still have value as people and can positively contribute to society. Great video.
Ive always loved starry night. It hangs on my living room wall and is the first thing I see as I walk into the room from any door. The view in it reminds me of how the world looked to me before I had laser surgery on my eyes, I had pretty bad myopia.
As a sufferer of Bipolar I disorder, I feel a deep and chocking relation to those works of art, to the degree of seeing the world sometimes in those very lenses
Start painting now
Same
Get a VR headset and go into Starry Night
@@midbc1midbc199 it takes more than seeing to draw
I'm artistic, been hospitalized several times for "emotional disorder" or such illness - definite internal conflicts. The art might bring some inner senses out to see but it's all about the driving feelings in the end, mostly guilt used by one parent to manipulate me. We carry "the sins of the fathers", and like he says here, the challenges of coping.
I'd heard some years ago that he was in the habit of licking his brushes to shape them. The paints then (even now) contain a number poisonous heavy metals, including lead, mercury, cadmium and others.
Look up "Radium girls" horrible .
Watch face painting with Radium licking brushed even put radium on as make up .
You may be correct on this . Also Ergot poisoning from moldy bread rye seeds LSD was common then.
I was just wondering the same thing. Could lead paint be a cause? Perhaps Hitler wouldn't have been such a nut job if he wasn't into art? 🖼️👨🎨🖌️🤔
@@WALTERBROADDUS germany had that antisemitism for Centuries before nazi germany. Look up " Rhineland pogroms" just one of thousands of genocides in Europe.
@@MitzvosGolem1 except that Hitler was from Austria.
@@WALTERBROADDUS European s in general except Scandinavian countries. All had genocides persecution ghettos for us..
Since time of Constantine.
The painting Irises was housed for many years in a tiny gallery at the back of a nursing college in Portland, Maine. I went to high school a few blocks away and used to visit it. Was an unknown Van Gogh. A big exhibit in NYC displayed it as the centerpiece of the exhibit. After that, the owner could no longer afford the insurance.
The gallery was so small you could have walked in the door and walked out with it. No guard, just the woman who curated the gallery. There was an alarm (which I accidentally set off once by getting a little too close. Oops!)
The rest of the gallery’s collection, the Joan Whitney Payson collection, is now on view at the Portland Museum of Art. The rest of the collection is just as good, had Picasso, Wyeth, and others you’ve heard about.
Irises was Ms Payson’s first purchase when she was a teenager.
Fun stuff.
A lot of artists tend to paint swirls and repeated patterns to get the emotions out- it's like scratching an itch on the inside of your brain. But Vincent was one of the greatest.
I appreciate the point that artists create despite mental illness, not because of it. It's also very true that we create more when depressed as a way of coping and processing it: almost a way to control it, channel it, displace it. Again, like scratching an itch, or swearing to release pain.
Nevertheless I do fall into the trap of wondering if I need depression to be creative. Thank goodness, my doctor found an arthritis/fibromyalgia medication I could tolerate in 2016 that had hella side effects at first, but when I could finally tolerate it, it had the secondary effect of controlling anxiety. It was amazing. Until then, everything that might cause distress or emotional discomfort of any kind, it was like the volume was turned up to maximum, and I couldn't turn it down. After that, I could deal with things like Trump being elected (sorry to mention politics, but I'm gay, and have a lot of friends in minority groups he didn't like) without falling into a paralysis of despair and fear. BUT the downside was I haven't been able to do much creative writing or art since then. I thought at first it was the stress of the Trump years and then 2020- all the artists and writers I know have struggled during these soul-sapping times- but it really started with that anti-anxiety medication. Coincidence? I don't know. So like Vincent and so many others far greater than myself, I ask whether mental illness is the price one pays for one's creative fire.
I'm taking a very traditional oil painting class now, far removed from the digital art and modern styles of drawing I learned growing up, which I hope will give me a back door into art again. I'm up to copying the old masters, and look forward to learning from Van Gogh himself. I'll have to make a pilgrimage to the Getty to see the Irises; I didn't realize they'd acquired it.
Thanks for a thoughtful segment on a beloved subject. By the way, if you haven't watched the film Loving Vincent, FIND IT AND WATCH IT. Now. It's gorgeous. A little snippet of his own life, based largely on his letters and portraits of the people around him, animated by artists who learned his art style well enough to mimic his brushstrokes.
Your view of politics is ignorant and stereotyped. Sorry, but you brought it up.
I recently went to a virtual museum tour for Van Gogh and read all about him. The virtual tour was amazing to go though his town as he did and as he made the paintings! If you ever have the chance to go see if it comes to your town/city, I highly suggest you go see it
Just saw it in Dallas. I loved it.
Saw the Van Gogh exhibit in Cleveland Ohio last week , his painting put to movement cast on all the walls and floor set to music was very interesting.
THG is a national treasure..
He preserves Our Precious Fluids
@@honeysucklecat U funny guy....!
"Lithium... I want to stay in love with my sorrow; but oh, God, I want to let it go!" -Evanescence
I think a lot of artists can relate to the bittersweet tension brought on by internal struggle. It's said that, without suffering, pleasure is meaningless - and the relief from that suffering (albeit temporary) can bring a rush of joy that allows for some amazing achievements. Even those of us (artists) who are not, strictly speaking, insane tend to have a morbid fascination with things that leads to maudlin analysis and ennui. Amid those shadows, though, we see bright spots - which seem all the brighter for their grim surroundings.
As much as I love Starry Night (and am a fan of Vincent in general, I also love his folk paintings. From the grim conviviality of "The Potato Eaters" to the kind rendering of his friend Joseph Roulin, his portraits often capture a deep, mingled sadness and determination. I've often wondered how much of this was Vincent's empathy toward his subjects and skill to render it, and how much was him projecting his own emotional state onto them.
Either way, these lesser-known works are history that deserves to be remembered. :)
The famous version of "Starry Night" is not the only version Vincent painted - nor, if memory serves me right, was it even the original. He made at least two - both depicting very different terrestrial scenes beneath the stars. Both are excellent works - my personal favourite, however, is the other one.
Modest Mussorgsky is another example of a tortured artist. I find it interesting that his most famous composition is “Pictures At An Exhibition”. It is a musical tribute to the paintings of his friend Victor Hartmann.
I saw The Starry Night at the MoMA years ago when I, myself, was battling with major depression. It literally brought me to tears, standing there in front of it. It's beauty and pain spoke to me. I'll never forget it.
I wonder how many geniuses of art today are having their most creative periods of mania suppressed by our modern psychotropic drugs and thus losing out on generating masterpieces of their own?
Another wonderful episode. Thank you, THG, for a new perspective on an old work.
I can’t recall the first time that I saw Starry Night. I do recall visiting my New York City grandmother in January of 1969. It was first visit as an adult so I visited many of Manhattan’s Art Museums. One of my stops was the Museum of Modern Art. I already knew that Starry Night was there. I wandered the museum & then I found it.
I looked at the painting & I was gobsmacked. I had to sit down. I could not believe how much it spoke to me. I just starred at it for 15 minutes. I saw many other great works of art there such as Guernica. I admired the Picasso but Van Gogh had stirred my soul
I was very happy when I had seen the original here on a Van Gogh exhibition here about 15 years ago. And disappointed when it was missing in another 2019, I wished that my wife could have seen it in original. And you need to see it in real, no picture comes close to seeing the painting style he used for it.
I can not say enough good things about Arles , France. It’s a stunning little town ,I was there this summer . If you ever get a chance go…it’s so worth the trip .
There is a beautiful episode of Doctor Who where the Doctor and Amy Pond go to visit Vincent.
It's a fun episode until they take him to a present day Gallery. There he is praised by the Curator and brought to tears.
I get watery watching it every time.
Having recently been to the Van Gogh Experience, this was even more meaningful.
As usual, wonderful information!
My friend has some of van Gogh's works as tattoos, including Starry Night. She studied a lot of his work at college.
We travelled down to London to see the van Gogh Experience, and it was (and I'm not an arty person) an excellent and interesting exhibition.
This is an exceptional episode. Thank you, Lance.
Fantastic episode! I had to send it along to my brother. He's an artist, into fractals and wonders if the appearance of mathematical principles in some art as well as in nature hints at a greater, deeper organization. Thank you for posting this!
I think it does, and from my experience the universe is not something that functions without a greater purpose.
I adore the impressionists! When I saw the thumbnail, I clicked. I couldn't help myself. Thank you for another stroll through history. Much love from Dixie.
Have you read "Lust For Life", by Irving Stone?
Get a VR headset, you go IN the town and into his bedroom.
Thank you for this empathetic and extraordinary look at madness & the arts. Really appreciated the longer video, too.
I bought an astronomy book called "Starry Night." The author said the field of stars look remarkably like galaxies, which were recently discovered through advancements in telescopes.
I know your comment was 6 months ago, but this sounds like a very interesting read.
This has actually been confirmed, it's much more based on real life, than in Vincent's imagination.
I do love it so Greg when others reflect upon that which at times has preoccupied me. Particularly when they have such a gift as yours for saying it so well. ♥️
Here is another great episode from The History Guy, THANK YOU!
Excellent mini biography! Thanks HG! 👍
Wonderfully written and presented!
Thank you for this.
Starry night was always a favorite painting of mine, mostly because its an imaginary depiction of the real world, and it was painted in a time when people had no electricity. So the imagination was not fed by TV and radio, but by the ponderings of the mind. The Doctor Who episode Vincent and the Doctor made me a big fan. and I have a few very cool copies of the painting. I don't over think it, but the simplicity of his work is worth the fame and I'm glad the world can appreciate the life of someone with talent that struggled with life, much like I do.
Once again, a great video! Thanks History Guy.
Your channel is one of the best on RUclips absolutely enjoy the work that you do awesome video
Amazing show like always! Thanks again! Love the Nikki’s quote!
If you haven't seen it, look up the movie, Lust For Life, Van Gogh played by Kirk Douglas. Kirk really shows his acting chops.
Ever since I saw this movie when I was a kid in the 70s I was a Van Gogh fan. I still see Douglas’ face in images of Van Gogh. Paintings are fantastic examples of impressionist art.
In college, we painted the entire dorm hallway as Starry Night. It looked great.
I’ve seen many of your wonderful videos, and this one is my personal favorite.
Although I am aware of the mentioned works and many others none are present in
my home. Alternatively I have several sculptures, paintings and other art objects
the majority created by artists I know many are friends. Thankfully none of my artist
friends have suffered as badly as Van Gogh. None of these art works are likely to
attain great fame or fetch large sums of money but that is not the point. They invoke
memories of those who made them and at times see the world from a different
perspectives, this brings me pleasure.
Most genius persons struggle with mental illness sooner or later, they are connected and riding the envelope of madness is how they come up with ideas, their brain doesn't waste space with things like compartmentalized information but have a bombardment of many points of veiws that most would never think of. This happens with inventors, musicians, actors, and artists throughout history. I personally know how much of a struggle it is from being in a school for prodigies, where I met so many unique ppl, some today have went completely insane, or developed schizophrenia and other mental problems, but didn't have it as young ppl. This is similar to myself, but I won't go into detail, but this topic is very close one to me
We were at The MoMA in New York City in June 2021 and saw this beautiful painting. Nice to learn about the background story.
Insanity does indeed deserve to be remembered
He may have suffered from poisoning resulting from his use of the artist paints and solvents of that time.
I earned my living for some years as a furniture finisher and touch up artist and quit such work as my behavior was becoming increasingly bizarre and not at all like my normal temperament.
So I wonder if this also was in play with his circumstances.
The 'Mad Hatter' of 'Alice in Wonderland' is based on hatters suffering from mercury poisoning. Chronic heavy metal poisoning was poorly understood in the 19th century. It is possible chronic poisoning worsened many people's mental illness back then.
Really interesting episode. I love the history guy.
THG is the best storyteller on Earth. He can transforma anything into something deeply interesting.
I love all your THG episodes but this one most of all. So well researched! I’ve taken up oil painting as a hobby and hope to create a masterpiece of my own someday. I’ve had the privilege of seeing many of Vincent’s paintings in Europe and elsewhere and love almost all. He had a way of making oil painting look fun to create & delightfully simple, although so difficult in reality. Forever a fan….
You should see the actual paintings, especially the ones done near the end of his life. They are layers and layers of caked on paint on them. You can see his early works that are all muted browns, and then the ones with so much color and depictions at the end. I was privileged to see them up close when they were shown in Washington DC years ago. An event never to be forgotten. Great history that should never be forgotten.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Years ago, I had the luck to see the actual Starry Night painting. Pictures don't do it justice. It pulls you in with mesmerizing colors and textures. The more you look, the more you see.
The more you look, the more you always see.
A couple of years ago "Sky & Telescope" magazine published an article tying the painting "The Scream" to the eruption and explosion of Krakatoa 10 years before. There was a year without summer and lots of unique sunsets for years because of the dust and ash traveling around the world for years. The magazine put forth in the article that "The Scream" was representative of the general public depression because of the results of the Krakatoa event.
Thank you always looking forward to videos
Man that had to hurt. The sting from cuts while shaving can be annoying but I can’t imagine what slicing your ear off would be like. It had to be rough on people back in those times when suffering from mental illness. It’s still not anything easy.
You are an amazing man with a wonderful way of presentation. Long time subscriber. Thanks again!
I love the way you deliver, alum.
I love this painting, it may be my favorite! I don't think its even close to his best artwork but i love stars and the night and the story behind it is amazing! I wonder were "the great wave off Kanagawa" ranks on that list.
That was fascinating & very informative! Thanks Professor! Keep up the Great work!
I love those globes. I have the site bookmarked and plan on buying one someday. And it might be sooner rather than later!
Very well narrated, Vincent has always been a favorite of mine. I heard once and sometime ago that the ear incident was in fact caused during a duel and it was the fellow he was dueling with who caused it. Rather than let his friend get in trouble Vincent took responsibility for it, a bit weak but I thought would mention.
What a great episode!
Thank you History Guy, for another interesting and fact filled episode. There is a lot to think about in this one.
You're right I have it on a mug. I bought it at a yard sale for a dollar. When I asked "how much for the Van Gogh?" The seller had no idea what I was talking about. 😊
I bought a Picasso at a flea market once for 75 cents. A real Picasso. Makes you wonder how it got there. It's just a litho so it isn't worth a fortune. Still worth more than 75 cents though. It _is_ a genuine Picasso. It went through his hands and he signed it. That's how lithos work.
Just saw The Van Gogh exhibit now showing in Houston a few weeks ago. It breaks my heart so much that he wasn’t rich & famous in his lifetime. So much so I couldn’t read the placard showing how much his paintings made posthumously as I’d started to cry & people were starting to stare even though I was silent about it. RIP Vincent, I hope you finally found peace ✌️
When you did that transition around 6:05, I looked in my coffee cup - "Did someone put something in this???"
"No, self," I said to myself, "It's a transition to another picture, not Van Gough's lunacy rubbing off on you."
I enjoy art very much. I especially enjoy old masters paintings. Thomas Hart Benton lived here in town from 1939 until his death in 1975. Another one of my favorite artists is Jackson Pollock (although Jackson Pollock or Thomas Benton are neither considered old masters). The "Mural" which is a poured painting by Jackson Pollock is a sight to behold. I have seen it at the Nelson Atkins museum. It has been several years ago. I could not begin to explain it, and some people see it as a smear of paint, but it is mesmerizing.
Beautiful and sad. Good vid. Keep at it!
Magellan it’s great! I will continue after the free trial! Great docs! Thank you! X
He wrote to his brother Theo and admitted that he ate some of his yellow paint because it made him feel happy. The problem was that he was using yellow lead chromate, which did contain lead. Gaugin was invited to come to Arles in the hopes that others follow and they could establish an artist community. They painted side be side and we have paintings from each artist depicting the same subject. But the friendship soon disintegrated and frequent arguments. It is perhaps the realization that his dream of an artist colony was no longer a reality lead to him cutting his ear. What Vincent gave to us is the bold use of color and mastery of complementary colors to create the highest possible level of luminance. Seeing his work in person is the only way to fully appreciate his mastery.
What a wonderful story well told... thank you for your efforts.
That was simply the best video you've done.
I greatly appreciate the breadth and depth of history you bring to your program; in this case art history, the science of psychology, and biography. I believe you are our next great National Historian. Thanks again History Guy.
Well done this. Thank you for sharing.
Easily my favorite painting of all time
The most pin point HG episode yet. As a younger person, suffering from a bi-polar "episode" as they called it, (and self medicating) i painted a CRAZY painting and titled it "chaos and beauty". The word chaos was written backwards...
Have you still got the painting?
Its contagious! I too am seein things which are not there or which are not normally visible.
Looking at the globe at circa 1.17 & the 8.47 minute mark, I would swear I can see two static geometric, not quite snowflake or star shapes, almost as faint as watermarks.
They are apparent over that globe at other times too. Is it somehow generating an illusion?
@@Farweasel It's not you, I clearly see those on the globe too. To me, they look like reflections from the lighting.
@@MosoKaiser There goes my dream of millions.
And of my sun glasses sliding down on one side.
Thank you. Always fascinating. Amazing.
Thank you so much! As noted below, Starry Night is in the Museum of modern Art in New York City. It had been purchased as noted in 1941. A few years ago while in New York City we took a quick move to the Museum quite late at night very few people. If you. But the crowd was around starry night this was 10 minutes before closing amazing. Beautiful painting. God bless Vincent van Gogh again thank you!