Nature Methaphors in The Battle of Issus and Starry Night...

Since the beginning, nature has been one of mans many inspirations. It is used to convey emotions and bring meaning in many ways in art. During the Northern Renaissance Albrecht Altdorfer was one of the most distinguished painters known for his expressively detailed landscapes. The Battle of Issus done by Altdorfer focused on nature to further amplify Alexander’s victorious battle. Three hundred and sixty years later, the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh creates a work that also showed how nature can bring emotion and significance to his painting Starry Night. Albrecht Altdorfer’s The Battle of Issus in one of the artist most famous works depicting the exploits of historic heroes. [1] It was created in 1529 on commission for the Munich†¦show more content†¦Above the battle, in the sky nature seems to have it own dramatic conflict that elaborately mirrors the historical battle of Issus. The Post-Impressionism artist Vincent Van Gogh created his masterwork Starry Night in 1889. Unlike the painting of Altdorfer, this painting was more personal and had the conflict of man vs. himself. The painting of Starry Night took place in France while he was in the care of the Saint Remy of Provence Psychiatric Hospital. Van Gogh yearned for a life that was calm and harmonious during his seemingly never ending depressive state. In Starry Night Van Gogh’s point of view is omniscient as well but, he detaches himself even further. He Van Gogh creates a night sky embellished by the swirling of its clouds and the illuminating blaze from its stars. He uses lines that are arabesque in continuation that creates a fluid like design over the work making it harmonious. Located below the dynamic sky is a row rolling hills in which the artist used different tones to create a sense of depth in his work by the use of atmospheric perspective however, the painting still has a look of flatness. The hills lead the eyes to a small calm inviting town created using simple shapes. The church in the valley towers over all the homes as if it was a guardian. The tall steeple of the church is not able to touch the magnificent sky however, there is an eerie cypress tree in the foreground it is able to touch the