Interdisciplinary Studies of Literature, Arts and Humanities

The Artist's Inner Voice: A Psychological Comparative Reading of Forough Farrokhzad's Poetry and Vincent van Gogh's Paintings

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mahmoud Kamali 1
Somayye Asadi 2

1 Assistant Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

2 Master of Persian Language and Literature, Payame Noor University,

https://doi.org/10.22077/islah.2025.9669.1675
Abstract
This study employs an interdisciplinary approach and an analytical-comparative methodology to examine shared psychological characteristics in the poetry of Forough Farrokhzad and the paintings of Vincent van Gogh. The primary objective is to determine points of convergence and divergence between these two artists' works in their expression of emotions, their use of symbols, and cultural influences. Utilizing van Gogh's paintings as tangible manifestations of inner turmoil, the research investigates how both artists articulate universal human experiences, such as love, solitude, and the search for meaning, through distinct artistic media (poetry and painting). The findings reveal that Farrokhzad's psychological impulses, which evolve from personal anguish to existential suffering, find visual representation in van Gogh's works. By establishing a dialogue between literary and visual texts, this study uncovers latent psychological dimensions in both artists' oeuvres, proposing an innovative interdisciplinary framework for art and literary studies. Furthermore, the analysis of shared symbols (night, trees, wind, and stars) demonstrates their aligned perspectives on modernity's defining themes: alienation, suffering, and the quest for transcendence.

Keywords

Psychology of art
Comparative analysis
Forough Farrokhzad
Vincent van Gogh
Symbolism
Interdisciplinary art studies
Subjects
Interdisciplinary Studies of Literature, Arts and Humanities

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 13 November 2025

  • Receive Date 01 July 2025
  • Revise Date 27 August 2025
  • Accept Date 13 November 2025

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