De sterrennacht
Painted in June 1889 from Van Gogh's asylum room in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, this work transforms a night sky into a swirling vision of cosmic energy. The thick impasto brushstrokes, the luminous stars, and the dark cypress flame reaching toward the sky create a landscape that is simultaneously observed and felt.
Pioneered the idea that art should express inner emotional truth rather than external visual accuracy. This principle became the foundation of Expressionism and all subsequent art movements that prioritize subjective experience.