It is quite small, the painting, The Starry Night, by Vincent van Gogh only 29 x 36 and 1/4, and for such a little canvas, it has a big reputation! So well known and well-loved that its image replicated over and over and printed on everything from duvet covers to umbrellas.
It seems to flicker when you see it in person. Housed in the Musem of Modern Art in New York City, the painting is viewed and photographed and cherished. At first glance, you may think, "Oh, there it is!" followed by "I had no idea it was so small." but then you lean in and start to discover its magic. Brushstrokes are evident, the colors are bright, and you may consider, is that cobalt blue, perhaps? The swirls, the illumination of the crescent moon. And you may begin to wonder, what is it about this painting that captures the imagination. I suspect it is different for us all.
Vincent van Gogh thought this painting was a failure, he wrote to his brother "All in all the only things I consider a little good in it are the Wheatfield, the Mountain, the Orchard, the Olive trees with the blue hills and the Portrait and the Entrance to the quarry, and the rest says nothing to me."
Starry Night says plenty to the rest of us. We are engaged, and his art enriches us. Vincent van Gogh once said, "I don't know anything with certainty, but seeing the stars makes me dream." Seeing this painting gives us a little room to dream, as well.
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