Van Gogh once wrote, “Why, I ask myself, shouldn’t the shining dots of the sky be as accessible as the black dots on the map of France?” For him, the sky was both a mirror and a map. A place to project longing, despair, and hope.
One surprising detail about The Starry Night is that Vincent van Gogh didn't paint it while looking out his window. Instead, he recreated the scene entirely from memory in his studio. Although the night sky at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum inspired him, the swirling heavens and imagined village were shaped by recollection and emotion, not direct observation.
Its dynamic motion in the painting may symbolise the tension between chaos and order, despair and wonder, but you’ll find a deep connection to the movement and wonder expressed through each brush stroke.
Before we start to discuss the symbolism in The Starry Night, it’s important to mention a few books that explore Van Gogh’s artistic journey that led to this point.
The first book is called Vincent van Gogh, The Letters. The Letters offers an unparalleled glimpse into the mind of one of history’s most enigmatic artists. This comprehensive collection, meticulously compiles over 900 letters, predominantly addressed to his brother Theo, but also to fellow artists and family members.
These correspondences capture not only the literary genius in Van Gogh’s deep reflections on art, but his personal struggles, and his philosophical musings.
The second book is Irving Stone’s Lust for Life, first published in 1934, is a compelling biographical novel that delves into the tumultuous life of Vincent van Gogh.
While this book emphasises the multi layered personas of Van Gogh, the narrative is deeply rooted in historical facts, primarily drawn from the extensive correspondence between Vincent and his brother Theo.
Vincents relationship with his brother is one of compassion, love and brotherly comfort. All whilst understanding the bigger picture of Van Gogh otherworldly vision.
The vivid storytelling offer readers an intimate portrayal of Van Gogh’s relentless pursuit of artistic expression amidst personal and societal challenges.
Let’s get into the symbolism in the Starry Night.
The Starry Bridge Between Worlds
The towering, flame-like cypress in the foreground often unsettles viewers. Traditionally associated with mourning and cemeteries in Western culture, cypresses were believed to connect the earthly and the divine.
Their roots in the soil and branches reaching skyward make them natural symbols of transcendence. Van Gogh has a sensitivity towards nature and its spectacular shift from season to season.
In Starry Night, the cypress acts almost like a torch, piercing the veil between the physical and spiritual. It could represent Van Gogh’s yearning for peace beyond suffering, or a mythic tree of life, such as Yggdrasil, anchoring the heavens and underworld.
The Sleeping Village of Starry Night
Nestled quietly below the cosmic swirl, the village sleeps. Its small, geometric houses feel static compared to the living sky. This contrast may symbolise humanity’s disconnect from the natural, divine rhythm—or perhaps its quiet resilience in the face of chaos.
The village may hold symbolic significance, perhaps reflecting Van Gogh’s longing for connection, memories of his past, or a glimpse into his inner emotional landscape.
Some scholars see Christian symbolism here: the lone church steeple, pointing heavenward, acts as a guidepost between the sleeping world and the celestial. The painting then becomes a meditation on faith and how we navigate suffering and seek meaning in the vast unknown.
Spiralling Symbol of the Soul’s Journey
The spiral forms in The Starry Night dominate the sky and resemble ancient spiritual symbols found in cultures worldwide. From Celtic stone carvings such as the Newgrange Tri-Spiral to Colombian petroglyph, spirals often represent growth, cycles, and the path toward enlightenment or inner truth.
The spirals overlap and curl to meet one another, sharing a canvas of texture and contrast, you have a sense that the “madness’ Vincent endured is eclipsing on the canvas.
In Starry Night, these celestial spirals could signify Van Gogh’s own psychological journey, tormented but striving, always reaching outward, much like hands reaching through the sky. They evoke the feeling that life is not linear but cyclical, pulsing through phases of darkness and light.
4 Key Symbolism Takeaways
The Swirling Sky – Symbolises emotional turbulence and the overwhelming power of nature and the cosmos, reflecting Van Gogh’s inner psychological state.
While Starry Night is often viewed through the lens of Van Gogh’s emotional turmoil, recent research reveals something even more astonishing: a hidden harmony between art and nature.
According to a study published in Physics of Fluids, Van Gogh didn’t just paint what he felt, he intuitively captured the physics of the universe. The view outside his window was a true reflection of his everyday contemplation and struggle. The swirling patterns in the sky, those haunting, luminous eddies, mirror the exact laws that govern turbulent flow in nature.
Scientists from Xiamen University, Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, and Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale in France discovered that the size, distance, and energy of the spirals in Starry Night reflect the same mathematical patterns found in whirlwinds, galaxies, and ocean currents.
Van Gogh tapped into cosmic order. His brush didn’t just convey emotion; it echoed the pulse of the universe itself.
The Cypress Tree – A traditional symbol of death and mourning, it acts as a spiritual bridge between the earthly and celestial realms.
The dark, reaching cypress in Starry Night isn’t just a visual anchor, it’s a powerful symbol. Across cultures, the cypress has long represented the passage between life and death, the soul’s ascent, and the hope of immortality.
Ever noticed the cypress trees in The Starry Night? They might seem like just part of the landscape, but they actually carry a much deeper meaning. In her paper, The Cypress Trees in “The Starry Night”: A Symbolic Self-Portrait of Vincent Van Gogh, Jessica Caldarone digs into the idea that these trees are more than just decoration.
The dark, almost fiery appearance of the trees contrasts with the rest of the painting and could symbolise his battle with mental health and feelings of isolation. It’s amazing how something as simple as a tree can carry so much emotional weight.
For a deeper understanding of the symbolic meaning of the cypress tree in art, including its powerful connections to themes of immortality and spiritual transformation this article on the symbolism of cypress trees in art is the perfect read.
The Sleeping Village – In The Starry Night, the small, tranquil village at the bottom of the canvas provides a stark contrast to the vibrant, swirling sky above. Painted in cool tones of blues, purples, and blacks, the village evokes a sense of calm, especially with its central church spire. Though it could be inspired by Van Gogh’s memories of his Dutch homeland or his time in Saint-Rémy, the village is an imagined scene, not a direct view from his asylum window. This peaceful, “sleeping” village contrasts with the tumultuous sky, symbolising the artist’s internal struggles and the peaceful escape he longed for.
The Stars and Moon – The moon and stars are more than just celestial bodies. The crescent moon, glowing with a vibrant yellow, contrasts against the dark, swirling sky, evoking both a sense of calm and spiritual connection.
The stars, similarly bright and dynamic, swirl with energy, symbolising hope amid the turmoil. While the painting reflects van Gogh’s observation of the night sky, it blends reality with imagination, making the moon and stars a powerful symbol of his inner world and search for peace.
The Starry Night Behind Van Gogh’s Eyes
The Starry Night Behind Van Gogh’s Eyes is more than a painting. It’s a window into the mind of a man wrestling with isolation, illness, and the yearning for peace.
By the time Van Gogh painted this work in 1889, he had already weathered personal loss, artistic rejection, and deep mental suffering. Living in the asylum at Saint-Rémy, cut off from the world yet desperate to connect with it, he turned inward. His days were structured, quiet, and often solitary, punctuated by painting, letter-writing, and attempts at healing.
The Starry Night wasn’t painted outdoors or from direct observation, it was drawn from memory, imagination, and emotion. The swirling sky, the blazing stars, and the solemn cypress tree all reflect not just the landscape outside his window, but the storm within.
Through this painting, Van Gogh gave us a raw glimpse of beauty as seen through the lens of struggle, Van Gogh would capture the world mark by mark, all reimagined by his laboured soul searching for light.
If you’re interested in stepping inside Van Gogh’s world. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience in London offers a breathtaking journey through his most iconic works.
