One Class: Art Appreciation 101
I remember being asked by my professor in literature class about my interpretation of Van Gogh’s Starry night over the Rhone painting. I’ve seen the painting before but never did I really scrutinize it the way I have to in an English class.
The painting depicted an illuminated sky with the shining stars, the bright city lights, a calm river, a couple walking ashore and the two boats docked along the river bank. If only I could describe the painting then I have already answered the question.
But to know the correlation of each visual imagery with one another, why bother? With no background knowledge as to why Van Gogh painted this while in a mental asylum, I dug deeper and let myself be enthralled by the painting for a moment.
“What was on Van Gogh’s mind when he painted this picture?” I silently asked myself.
“We’re supposed to be in a literature class, not in an art appreciation class,” I added while my eyes laid still upon the masterpiece,
“So what is my professor trying to point out through this art work?” was my after thought.
It took me a while to put all the pieces together.
Finally, from what I could remember, I came up with this interpretation:
The calm river shows the couple’s serene disposition. Unmindful of the hustle and bustle life in the city, the couple decided to have time alone at the opposite shore. Nobody knew they were going to meet thus the two separate boats.
Consequently, the lights that surround them describe the kind of love the couple may have for each other.
Love can be temporary like the city lights that depended on electricity. And so is love when based on feelings. It can be high-powered or can have power failure.
On the other hand, love can be likened as the stars that shine naturally and eternally. It is unconditional and never fails. Love brightens the lives of others thus the illuminated sky amid the darkness of the night.
Whew! How’s that for a love story?
After analyzing the painting, it was only then did I appreciate it more. I realized that looking into a picture is more than what meets the eye. It is more than what the brush stroke could show a scene and how the bright hues could depict a mood. The canvas was transformed from a mere mixture of colors into a poignant storybook.
So does literature. All literary genres connote a deeper meaning than just mere words. And as the reader immerses himself with the written words, he is transported into another world as well.
Going back to the painting, whether the couple made it or not, only Van Gogh knows …
As to my grade in this particular exercise, I got a citation from the professor. Hay Salamat!
The painting depicted an illuminated sky with the shining stars, the bright city lights, a calm river, a couple walking ashore and the two boats docked along the river bank. If only I could describe the painting then I have already answered the question.
But to know the correlation of each visual imagery with one another, why bother? With no background knowledge as to why Van Gogh painted this while in a mental asylum, I dug deeper and let myself be enthralled by the painting for a moment.
“What was on Van Gogh’s mind when he painted this picture?” I silently asked myself.
“We’re supposed to be in a literature class, not in an art appreciation class,” I added while my eyes laid still upon the masterpiece,
“So what is my professor trying to point out through this art work?” was my after thought.
It took me a while to put all the pieces together.
Finally, from what I could remember, I came up with this interpretation:
The calm river shows the couple’s serene disposition. Unmindful of the hustle and bustle life in the city, the couple decided to have time alone at the opposite shore. Nobody knew they were going to meet thus the two separate boats.
Consequently, the lights that surround them describe the kind of love the couple may have for each other.
Love can be temporary like the city lights that depended on electricity. And so is love when based on feelings. It can be high-powered or can have power failure.
On the other hand, love can be likened as the stars that shine naturally and eternally. It is unconditional and never fails. Love brightens the lives of others thus the illuminated sky amid the darkness of the night.
Whew! How’s that for a love story?
After analyzing the painting, it was only then did I appreciate it more. I realized that looking into a picture is more than what meets the eye. It is more than what the brush stroke could show a scene and how the bright hues could depict a mood. The canvas was transformed from a mere mixture of colors into a poignant storybook.
So does literature. All literary genres connote a deeper meaning than just mere words. And as the reader immerses himself with the written words, he is transported into another world as well.
Going back to the painting, whether the couple made it or not, only Van Gogh knows …
As to my grade in this particular exercise, I got a citation from the professor. Hay Salamat!
Comments
You did a good interpreration of the painting. I know you'll get to see beyond the painting, you have an eye for art.
Besides, I know you're inspired, thus the love story.