The painting by Edvard Munch titled “ The Scream” is an emotionally charged image painted in 1893, and is said to be one of the most recognized paintings in all art. This painting acquired iconic status in popular culture during the late 20th century comparable to the iconic status gained by other recognizable paintings such as the Mona Lisa and American Gothic. The Scream has been used as book covers, in advertising, and cartoons. Perhaps the most famous spinoff of this work of art is the Halloween mask inspired by the painting which shows up every year in the costume aisle.
When Edvard Munch was asked how the painting came to be he was quoted as follows: “I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set; suddenly, the sky turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous, infinite scream of nature.”
What I find interesting about this painting is that Munch felt nature was screaming (the color of the sky was attributed to the ash from a volcanic eruption in Europe). If Munch felt nature was screaming in 1893, how much more would he have felt nature screaming over a hundred years later? We’ve had tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes and floods of magnitude force the past few years alone. I think nature is screaming even louder today because of the pollution and poison mankind has dumped upon her the last hundred years.
Besides Munch feeling that nature was screaming, he himself felt he was in turmoil and going mad. The angst that comes through this painting is the angst that I feel our high paced society is currently in. It seems we all are stretched to the limit and trying to juggle work, family, and for those of us taking this class, homework too, so I think this painting could be the logo for modern society.
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