主题：一幅油画一首歌 -- 老平

（梵高的油画《星夜》）

1888年2月，荷兰画家文森特·梵高（Vincent van Gogh）来到法国南部小城阿尔勒，过了不久，他的朋友法国画家保罗·高更来访，两人一齐切磋画艺。但到了年底，两人发生了争执，最后高更愤然离去，梵高则冲动地割下了自己的左耳。

失掉一只耳朵的梵高整日以布裹头，但小城的居民已经讨厌这位精神失常的画家。梵高只好来到距离阿尔勒25公里的圣雷米小镇，在镇上的圣保罗精神病院接受治疗。在治疗期间，梵高创作了一百多幅画作，其中一幅油画叫《星夜》（Starry Night），它画于1889年6月。

油画《星夜》的画面色彩艳丽，上面画有星星月亮和云彩，画有山脊树木和房屋。但它们的样子与常态迥然不同：星星和月亮成漩涡状，云彩翻滚，山脊起伏，柏树宛如火焰，一切都在回旋、升腾，只有小镇的房屋静止不动。后人对这幅画的评价也很特别，认为梵高当时不是靠直接观察，而是凭想象来作画，用虚构的形与色创造了某种气氛，也就是说梵高是在神志不清的情况下画出的假象。

一年之后，梵高在田野里举枪自尽，终年37岁。一个没有受过正规绘画教育，漠视学院派教条，陶醉于物我两忘、天人一体的天才画家的艺术生涯嘎然而止。这时候，离梵高决定要当画家的日子只过了十年。在这十年里，梵高创作的作品超过二千幅，但生前只卖出了一幅。

（美国歌手唐·麦克林在1972年演唱《星夜》）

过了八十年后，美国的民谣歌手唐·麦克林（Don McLean）看了油画《星夜》之后心有所感，于是作了一首歌曲，歌名就叫《星夜》（Starry Starry Night），又叫《文森特》（Vincent），即梵高的名字。唐·麦克林在歌中唱到：“你为自己的清醒承受了多少痛苦？你为他们的解脱作出了多少努力？但是他们充耳不闻，他们现在依然没有倾听，或许他们永远也不会倾听。 ”看来歌手比评论家更接近梵高的心灵。

现在，油画《星夜》被纽约现代艺术馆所收藏，据说艺术馆每天都会播放唐·麦克林演唱的歌曲《星夜》。（老平 2010-12-13）

[MP=320,240]http://cfs.tistory.com/attach/6629/1327456478.mp3[/MP]

Vincent /Starry Starry Nigh

Starry starry night

Paint your palette blue and grey

Look out on a summer's day

With eyes that know the darkness in my soul

Shadows on the hills

sketch the trees and the daffodils

Catch the breeze and the winter chills　　

In colors on the snowy linen land

Now I understand what you try to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen,

they did not know how

Perhaps they'll listen now

Starry starry night

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze　　

Swirling clouds in violet haze

Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue

Colors changing hue,morning fields of amber grain

Weathered faces lined in pain

Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand

Now I understand what you try to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen

They did not know how

Perhaps they'll listen you now

For they could not love you

But still your love was true

And when no hope was left inside

On that starry starry night

You took your life as lovers often do

But I could have told you, Vincent

This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you

Starry starry night

Portraits hung in empty halls　　

Frameless heads on nameless walls

With eyes that watch the world and can 't forget

Like the strangers that you've met

The ragged man in ragged clothes

The silver thorn of bloody rose

Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen

They're not listening still

Perhaps they never will