Nesreen Irsan

Edvard Munch had a rough childhood.Consisted of many deaths of loved ones

and diagnosis of his sister’s illness. His father’s depression and obsession

with religion provoked him into rebellion and internal commotion.

The horrific events that transpired in his early life shaped how he would live his later years.

He had many emotions bottled up inside him.Found an outlet through painting.Began painting disturbing images that evoked

the emotions that construed his feelings of tumult.

Pictures such as “The Scream” and “Self portrait in Hell”, brought him fame.

He had internal emotional troubles that displayed throughout his artwork.

Became close friends with Hans Jaeger, an advocate of suicidal paradise.

Father disowned him because of nihilist companion.

Emotional stress led Edvard to paint what he felt.Traveled around the world showing off his

expressionistic talents. When he came back his father died. This led him

to spiral out of control and become alcohol addict.

Obtained assistance with his addiction problem. After that, he became less hostile and wrought

with emotion.His emotional upheaval calmed, and it projected

through his art pieces.

Edvard tried Naturalism and Impressionism before falling prey to Expressionism.

Enormous attribute to the expressionist movement.

Expressionism is the term used to describe an art movement in which reality is distorted to express an inner vision.

Expressionism portrays emotional experience rather than physical reality through art.

Edvard Munch created many art works.Portraits of females, to explore his intense and

awkward feelings towards the opposite sex.He also completed many portraits of him self to

evoke the emotions that were contained within him.

After his rehabilitation of alcohol he stopped creating unnerving artworks.

He began creating pictures with uplifting emotional projecting qualities.

His art works conjure a profuse senses of emotion.

He portrays feeling through his brush techniques. The flow of the lines curves around objects to

enhance feeling.He also uses color scheme to enhance the

emotional evocation.He chooses starkly contrasting colors that yield

one to feel.His art works are very distinguishable from any

other artist.

The Scream

1893, Tempera and crayon on cardboard

Self-Portrait with Skeleton Arm1895

Morning, 1884Oil on canvas

Puberty, 1894-5Oil on canvas

Madonna, 1894-5Oil on canvas

Weeping Nude, 1913. Oil on

canvas

Eye in Eye, 1894Oil on canvas

Melancholy, 1891Oil on canvas

Separation, 1900Oil on canvas

"Angst (Anxiety)," 1896, lithograph

Anxiety, 1894Oil on canvas

The Dead Mother and Child, 1897-

9Oil on canvas

The Drunken Boy, 1908

Oil on canvas

The Sun 1911-16. Oil on

canvas

Starry Night. 1922-24 Oil on canvas

Edvard Munch lived a tumultuous life. Yet, without these experiences he would not have made his many masterpieces. Edvard Munch is a great role model and attribute to society. He symbolizes that we should live through our life experiences, and allow them to shape our lives.His works of art still evoke emotion into observers from all over, because emotion is the universal language of the world.

End Note

Cordulack, S. W., & Munch, E. (2002). Edvard Munch and the Physiology of Symbolism. Lewisburg, PA: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.

Munch, E., & Tojner, P. E. (2003). Munch: In His Own Words. Fort Worth: Prestel Publishing.

(2001). Edvard Munch: Psyche, Symbol and Expression. Boston,Massachusetts : Mcmullen Museum Of Art, Boston College.