Starry Night has become one of the most instantly recognisable and well known artworks. Painted from memory, after being awed by the view at night from his window, the work represents Van Gogh's experience of nature and the feelings it inspires. The thick sweeping strokes of paint show the sky alive with swirling clouds illuminated by a bright crescent moon and flickering stars. In contrast to the movement and vibrancy of the sky the town below appears calm and peaceful, the neat straight brushstrokes unique in the painting. Completing the scene is a cypress plant to the left of the image that appears enormous as it reaches toward the sky. Alongside offering a sense of perspective, the cypress, painted with the same sweeping brushstrokes, unites the sky and the village.
