Spiraling Sky versus Straight Town

The well-delineated town is distinct from the spiral circles, which has been said to symbolize Van Gogh’s fear as well as desire for contact with people [Lin 2019, p 193]. Due to his unstable mental health, Van Gogh experienced conflicting emotions towards people and nature, and saw death as the beginning of life. These emotions are portrayed in the painting through the contrasting elements of rage and serenity. The painting can be interpreted differently by different people. What do you see, feel or notice when looking at this masterpiece?