The unexpected math behind Van Gogh's "Starry Night" - Natalya St. Clair
TED-Ed・3 minutes read
Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" captures motion through luminance, creating a pulsing effect, with patterns resembling turbulent fluid structures close to Kolmogorov's equation, highlighting a unique connection between art and the concept of turbulence.
Insights
- Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" uses light to create a dynamic, moving effect with swirling clouds and stars, showcasing a unique portrayal of motion through luminance.
- The discovery of turbulent fluid patterns in Van Gogh's paintings during his period of psychotic agitation links his art to Andrey Kolmogorov's mathematical theories on turbulence, revealing a fascinating connection between artistic expression and scientific concepts.
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Recent questions
What is the painting "The Starry Night" about?
A depiction of swirling clouds and stars by Van Gogh.
Who is Andrey Kolmogorov and what did he contribute to science?
A Russian mathematician who studied turbulence in fluids.
What did scientists discover about Van Gogh's paintings?
Patterns resembling turbulent fluid structures.
How does "The Starry Night" capture motion?
Through luminance and swirling clouds of stars.
What is the connection between art and turbulence?
Patterns resembling turbulent fluid structures in Van Gogh's paintings.
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Summary
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Van Gogh's Art Reveals Turbulent Fluid Patterns
- Vincent van Gogh's painting "The Starry Night" showcases swirling clouds and eddies of stars, depicting light in a unique way that captures motion through luminance, creating a pulsing and flickering effect.
- Russian mathematician Andrey Kolmogorov contributed to the understanding of turbulence by proposing a mathematical relationship between energy and length in turbulent fluids, although a complete description of turbulence remains unsolved in physics.
- Scientists studying Van Gogh's paintings discovered patterns resembling turbulent fluid structures close to Kolmogorov's equation, particularly in works from his period of psychotic agitation, highlighting a unique connection between art and the complex concept of turbulence.
