The Starry Night 1888

This drawing of The Starry Night was made by Vincent van Gogh with pen and ink on paper. Van Gogh was a prolific maker of drawings, as they were more easily transportable and could be made faster than paintings. The frenetic energy is created by the repetitive pen strokes, which have imbued the artwork with significance. Linear strokes create patterns in the sky to show the movement of air, stars and clouds. Similar techniques and methods have been adopted within a wide range of creative practices, beyond the so-called ‘fine arts’. Van Gogh’s landscapes have clear relations to printmaking and illustration, which makes his art modern. The social context of this drawing is important to consider. As an artist, he was at the whim of the art market; he depended on his brother Theo to send him materials. But he was still able to produce a body of work that has had enormous influence, and the labor involved is a testimony to his talent and vision. In the end, what matters is his vision, his making, and the context in which he made it. And it is this that challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.