Misty L. Uschan
Professor Lilly
Introduction to Humanities II 14EW2
30 November 2014
Starry Night and The Course of the Empire: Desolation
Starry Night was created by Vincent Van Gogh during the Post Impressionism period. Starry Night was painted in oil on canvas in June 1889, and the dimensions are 29 x 36 ¼ inches. This painting is on display at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, New York. The Course of the Empire: Desolation was created by Thomas Cole during the Romanticism period. Desolation was painted in oil on canvas is 1836, and the dimensions are 62.99 x 39.37 inches. This painting is on display at The New York Historical Society in New York, New York. Fig. 1. Starry Night Fig. 2. The Course of the Empire: Desolation Starry Night is an embodiment of the Post Impressionism period. The rejection of the Impressionists concern with natural lighting and color in favor of an emphasis on abstract qualities or symbols is seen through this piece as Van Gogh uses impasto to create vibrant, glowing stars in the night sky. There is a dynamic energy to this piece seen through the exploding stars in contrast to the quiet, sleeping village. Starry Night was created while Van Gogh was in an Asylum at Saint-Remy, France and was recreated from memory. There is a mixture of imagination and reality throughout the piece. While the night sky is the rendition of a sky Van Gogh saw while living in the South of France, the church spire is not from the village, but from the Netherlands.
The Course of the Empire: Desolation embraces Romanticism by encompassing the theme of nature overpowering the human figure. Cole paints with a brighter use of color and expressive brushstrokes that evoke emotions. There is a passion of nature as the vines reclaim the structures and the large birds are now perched on the