1st blog entry:
Essay 1

This is "the starry night" by Vincent Van Gogh. It is a painting, oil on canvas. Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889. He was a very religious person so it is said that the eleven stars reflected in Genesis 37:9 which stated: "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me."

According to John Bergners 5 premises of art, I will give my opinion whether this painting should be considered art.
1st premise - figurative representation
this painting represents stars in the night sky
2nd premise - choice of subject
the artwork is about a starry night
3rd premise - materials used
the painting is oil on canvas
4th premise - formal unity and economy
I think this painting has unity, and the number of stars may have religious inspiration as stated above
5th premise - astonishment
I was astonished by this painting, it looks very good. There is something about it that calms me.

Satisfying all of the 5 premises, I believe "the starry night" really should be considered art.

sources:http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html