Devin McGinnis: Purpose of Starry Night

I was further examining the topic of my paper and the thought occurred to me, what exactly is the purpose of this painting? It was not until I put myself in the shoes of Van Gogh did I find the answer. The painting's purpose was to give him hope.
If one were to examine the painting Starry Night, Van Gogh’s turmoil and the pain of his mental state comes through in the beauty of his work.  The chaos and vicissitudes of depression are portrayed in the swirls of color and light of the Milky Way and the heavens.  The painting shows a hope that Van Gogh has either found or one that he wishes he had.  Through the chaos and complexity, one sees calmness and peace.  You see through the stars like corridors into the Heavens to see what the stars in them of themselves are a re-presentation of, a Holy Other. A Holy other that is somehow all knowing yet un-judgmental.  Somehow all pain and suffering can be resolved and absolved in what the Heavens are re-presenting.  Some how Van Gogh turns what is ultimately ugly, i.e., depression, sadness, etc, into a re-presentation of what is ultimately beautiful.