Van Gogh is a name that anyone who has
ever taken an art class has heard of. Out of a catalog of over 2000
artworks, two of his works come immediately to mind. One is a
self-portrait he had made after cutting off his ear from a mental
episode– although, there are claims that say he lost it in a friendly
sword fight in the dark so we will let you pick your own preferred
ending. The other is entitled the Starry Night.
Starry Night usually serves as one of
the most iconic artworks of the Post-Impressionist era. But, its
strangeness has even served a purpose in the field of science.
Turbulence, in a fluid dynamic, is a
concept that is not very easy to explain (or envision) using mathematics
– art however provides a remarkable bridge to help understand this
theory. The eddies in the Starry Night provide perspective on
turbulence. After scientists compared the Starry Night to Van Gogh’s
other works and also the works of other impressionist painters, it was
clear that only Van Gogh was the master of capturing turbulence.
Interestingly, he had made the painting after he had admitted himself
into a mental facility after the ear incident; perhaps a great example
of how true emotions can be put into art.
Check out the video to fully understand
how the Starry Night plays a pivotal role in the depiction of this
scientific concept. It’s amazing to see how the work of then
under-appreciated artist can pave the way to a marvelous discovery over a
100 years later. The line between insanity and sheer genius is
certainly a thin one!
