Geschrei (The Scream)
Image courtesy of
The National Gallery of Art, U.S.A
Nationality:
Norwegian
Movement:
Expressionism
Education:
Studied in Christiana and Paris
Life/Lifestyle:
Edvard Munch was born in Løten, Norway, on December 12, 1863. At a young age he lost both of his parents and two siblings, a traumatic experience that he carried throughout his life in his art. He started his art career in Norway and for twenty years after 1885, he painted in Paris and Berlin. His style was so new and shocking that one of his shows was shut down in 1892. Munch suffered from an anxiety disorder, which became more serious as time passed. He eventually returned to Norway in 1909 where he spent the remainder of his life. He died on January 23, 1944.
Style/Significance:
Munch is one of the main forces behind the Expressionist movement. His work contains a very strong sense of emotion, brought out through brilliant colors and a highly stylized way of painting. Most of his pieces contain an expressive orange-red color that is very dominant in the image. This color is often used with a black, bringing out the other colors for more contrast and expression.
Munch's paintings of people often depict an image of death or suffering, which possibly reflects his trauma of having lost several members of his family in his youth. His portrayal of women contains certain sexual connotations. Puberty, for example, shows the sexual awareness or anxiety in the innocent. His subjects are less representational of the person than the emotion it portrays, which is the objective of Expressionism.
Aside from paintings, Munch also did a number of woodcuts, lithographs, and etchings, which are important to both the recognition of new mediums and bringing in a more graphic style.
Famous Pieces:
The Scream (The Cry)
Puberty
Madonna
Vampire
The Kiss
The Sick Child
