The Norwegian Edward Munch is the most amazing and mysterious artist of the late 19th, early 20th century. His life was complicated, controversial, sometimes even tragic. At the beginning of his creative career, he was not to many liking, in the 40s, when the Nazis came to power, and Munch was already a deep old man, a real persecution was arranged for his paintings. But, these days, his work is definitely of great importance to the whole world. Munch's mysterious paintings are true masterpieces of expressionism, examples of the ingenious craftsmanship of a subtle and wise artist.
The most famous paintings by Edward Munch:
1
Sick Girl (1886)
Munch considered this picture symbolic and central in his work. It was the beginning of the search for new means of expressing the feelings and torments of the artist. Critics have met this picture with misunderstanding and denial. Literally everything was taken in hostility: color, composition, means of image. And only in the middle of the 20th century Munch was recognized as the greatest master of expressionism, and this canvas was recognized as a world masterpiece.
The plot of the canvas is taken from the artist’s childhood. The illness, and then the death of her sister, left a lasting impression on the little boy, bordering on mental distress.
The picture shows a sick girl. Lying in bed, and grandmother or nanny leaned over her. The girl is very pale, her hair spread out over the pillow. A fragile body is leaving strength. Dark tones and black color emphasize the inevitability of the death of the patient.
2
Evening on Karl Johan Street (1892)
The painting is part of a group of works called "The Frieze of Life" and the group "Fear of Life". This is a philosophical message from the artist to his contemporaries. A crowd going towards the viewer, which is the artist himself, faceless, indifferent and oppressive. Loneliness flows through the streets of the city, despite the fact that there are a lot of people around. But, they all rave on their own, pulling on a faceless mask of absolute indifference.
This picture screams about the loneliness of the artist, his lack of perception of the world. A certain autistic Munch has always been his torture and eternal mental pain.
3
Scream (1893)
Scream is the most famous masterpiece of the Norwegian expressionist artist Edward Munch. Many contemporaries of the artist believed that the work was written in a state of emotional shock. Everyone sees its meaning in it. Some see a prediction of environmental disaster or insane war. Some are the author’s mental illness. But the editors of most-beauty believes that the main thing is the impression that the picture makes on the viewer.
Against the backdrop of a blazing sky that sank into the quivering waters of the strait, a bridge is depicted. The bridge divides the picture into two parts diagonally. In the foreground is an unreal figure of a screaming man whose face merged into a greenish-yellow mask of horror. The image of a crazy screaming creature, intersecting with the color, shape of the strokes, conveys the most powerful emotions to the viewer. The combination of two colors of blue and red creates the basis of the picture, the writing technique includes both oil and tempera.
The picture was stolen several times, but the reason for the abduction was not the huge amount of money it costs, but its impact on the person. This picture is a premonition of the catastrophe of the 20th century.
4
Starry night (1893)
This nocturnal landscape represents the coastline in Osgordstrand, a small beach resort south of Oslo in Norway, where Edward Munch spent the summer starting in the 1880s. Here, Munk tried to catch the emotions evoked at night, and not to record his picturesque qualities. The blue color conveys the mysticism and longing of the landscape, which seems full of forebodings. The abstract mound on the right is a cluster of trees.
5
Death in the hospital room (1893)
The death in the hospital room of 1893 dates back to the memory of the death of Sister Sophie. She died of tuberculosis in 1877. This motive is one of many manifestations of illness, death, and sadness in the Munch family.
In a poorly furnished room, the artist painted himself with his closest family - brother, sisters, father and aunt. His 15-year-old sister is sitting in an armchair, looking at us with the back of a chair.
Munch: Her last request was to get out of bed and sit on a chair. “I really want to live,” she said. But in this chair, Sophie died ...
6
The Vampire (1893)
The painting "Vampire" is an identification of horror and fear of a woman. Her image, predatory and terrible, covers her prey. But the first impression of the picture is quickly dispelled. In front of the viewer there is a couple, passionate, indulging in a hug. And the depressing coloring of the picture changes its original meaning.
The struggle between male and female principles has always attracted the artist. Fears and secret complexes spilled onto the canvas, gaining unreal, nightmare features, as in a nightmare.
7
Anxiety (1894)
Munch's disturbing paintings are his calling card. Themes of death, anxiety, horror, anxiety were always present in his works. In the fate of the artist there were many moments that influenced his character, and health, and worldview, and on the perception of the world. In early childhood (at 5), he lost his mother, a year later his sister died. These events affected the child so much that he was silent for a year.
The picture "Anxiety" was created after the famous painting "Scream". And if “Scream” is sheer horror and despair, then “Anxiety” is anxiety when a person does not find a place from forebodings of something bad. The composition of the picture repeats the composition of "Scream." The same bridge, the same fiery blue landscape. But in this case, a group of people in black robes with all their appearance are alarming. Their faces are unnatural, blurred, only their eyes reflect the internal state of people.
The basis of "Anxiety" is a stunning color. Is it possible to convey the state of mind with color? Munch proved it. The fiery glowing sky and the vibrating dark space behind the bridge create a unique impression.
8
Parting (1896)
The personal life of Edward Munch was hectic, painful, associated with mental trauma, quarrels, and even an attempted suicide of a beloved woman. All these events were closely intertwined with the artist's work and were reflected in his works. The painting "Parting" is the imprint of the gap experienced by Munch himself. The man in the picture suffers physically, his pain is concentrated in the region of the heart. A bloody stain at his feet is a symbol of pain and emotional emptiness.
A woman, on the contrary, is purposeful and decisive. She is devoid of individuality, as she is a common image of all women. Munch believed that a man is more likely to experience a break, and a woman is more resilient.
Do not miss, on our site most-beauty.ru you can also admire the most famous paintings of Chagall.
9
Dance of Life (1899)
Is the usual dance of a couple in love - is this not life? On the left is youth, in the image of a cute girl in white, on the right is old age, in the form of an old lady in a dark dress, and in the center is a mature couple dancing. Youth with hope looks to the future, and old age - sadly recalls the past. The couple in the center is dancing slowly and completely absorbed in themselves. She is the brightest spot in the picture. The ladies red dress is a clear symbol of life, passion and love, without which life makes no sense.
10
Baby and death (1898)
In old age, the artist wrote about the traumatic years of his childhood: "My house was a house of illness and death." The painting "The Child and Death" is one of Munch's most striking testimonies about the thematic complex of death, death and grief. It depicts a little girl who looks from the picture and keeps her ears closed. In the background, we see her late mother. It is characteristic of Munch that he is not dealing with a person who is dying, but with the psychological state of those who remain. The main theme of this picture is the pain of a girl. But instead of expressing it in tears, the child seems scared.
11
Brooch. Eva Mudochchi (1903)
After 1902, Munch's lithographs were mostly drawn on paper.
There were, however, some exceptions, such as this 1903 portrait of Eva Mudochchi, made on stone using various lithographic techniques.
Eva Mudochchi was a famous British violinist who, along with pianist Bella Edwards, toured all over Europe, including Norway.
Edward Munch met her in Paris in 1903. They became close friends. Initially, the relationship was of a love nature, but over time, they became more like the relationship between brother and sister. From 1902 to 1908, she was one of Munch's closest proxies.
12
Starry Night (1922)
Munch loved to watch the mysterious starry sky, and devoted several works to this magnificent spectacle. The painting “Starry Night” conveys the beauty of the winter starry sky, which the artist observed from his porch. The surrounding landscape is not of interest to the artist, he is absorbed in the beauty of shining stars, against which the moon looks like a pale spot. Shades of blue and deep blue emphasize the chill of a winter night. The city is still awake. It glows with the lights of the windows, which emphasize the green reflections of the starry sky.
Afterword
Edward Munch bequeathed his canvases to his native Oslo, and after the death of the artist, the Netherlands became the owner of a huge collection of his amazing works. Based on more than 1 thousand paintings, a museum was created, which is now world famous.
Unfortunately, the site format most-beauty.ru does not imply very long texts. And we have a great feeling that we have not yet shown many of the works of the famous artist. Therefore, we decided to fill this gap and at the very end of the article publish some more famous paintings by Edward Munch:
Sister Inger (1884)
Summer Night (Inger ashore) (1889)
Night at Saint Cloud (1890)
Eye to Eye (1894)
Jealousy (1895)
Girl and Three Male Heads (1898)
Four women on the bridge (1901)
Four women on the bridge (1901)
Self portrait. Between a Clock and a Bed (1943)
That's all for now. Write in the comments which pictures of Edward Munch you like the most?