Saturday 28 August 2010

Munch, much more than 'The Scream!'



The Scream

Edvard Munch, 1817 - 1889, is most famous for his painting, 'The Scream' of which he did four versions of. This one is on cardboard. I can't help but think that at the time it was no more than a 10 minute sketch. It seems strange as there are so many other paintings that are amazing and yet don't get a look in. I have added a few below. I have chosen to add the paintings that I saw at the museum instead of photos taken from a book. The images are therefore not as good as many have refection's within the glass- as is very obvious in the picture above. I have chosen to use these images as they feel like a dialogue - By Munch's thoughts and emotions portrayed within the subjects of a painting, and me - in my reflection, to my thoughts and childhood memories.  In a later post I will take images from a book: The Frieze of Life , Love - Angst - Death.

I often went to the Munch museum as a child. I was struck by Munch's emotion, by the flow of brush strokes and his use of colour. I was and still am fascinated by the sunken deep eyes that look like hard lumps of coal that enhance the pain that lies within a painting. He paints faces and bodies that are pulled and drawn out. In doing so he emphasises a play of raw emotion, in pain, guilt, jealousy, love etc that becomes echoed within the subject's surroundings. 

The Sick Child


The Death of Marat II




Death in the Sick Room


The Woman / Sphinx


The Voice / Summer Night






Two Human Beings / The Lonely Ones


Harpy


The Kiss of Death


Jealousy II


The Voice / Summer Night





Puberty 





Death and the Woman










Self Portrait

Golgotha






















Train Smoke


The yellow Log




The Wave









Model by the Wicker Chair


Vampire


Red Virginia Creeper


The Girls on a Bridge


Starry Night


The Sun. For the Aula Decorations


Storing?


Restoring?


This is a Munch inspired drawing I did when I was 15.

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