Vincent Van Gogh's iconic painting, "The Starry Night," painted in 1890, is not just a reflection of the artist’s emotional state; it also reveals an understanding of atmospheric dynamics.
Recent research from teams in China and France suggests that the swirling patterns in the sky accurately depict "hidden turbulence," representing swirling air masses invisible to the naked eye. This masterpiece, housed in New York's Museum of Modern Art, has been hailed as Van Gogh's magnum opus, although he initially considered it a "failure."
Lead researcher Yongxiang Huang, a PhD candidate at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, stated that Van Gogh’s work demonstrates a deep intuition about natural phenomena. The study analysed a high-resolution image of the painting, focussing on its 14 primary whirl patterns. These brushstrokes align with theories of turbulent airflow, specifically the "cascading energy theory" and Russian mathematician Andrey Kolmogorov's turbulence theories.
The researchers concluded that Van Gogh captured not only the size and movement of air currents but also their intensity. While it remains unclear if Van Gogh consciously understood these scientific principles or if it was sheer coincidence, his work continues to inspire interpretations.
In the centre of the painting, the largest swirl has even been interpreted as a depiction of the Whirlpool Galaxy. However, elements like the imaginary village suggest that Van Gogh took creative liberties, merging reality with imagination.
