THE SCREAM

   ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch is a very expensive and unique piece of art of the 19^th century (1893).  It is clearly a very strong and intense piece of work that draws the attention of anyone who observes it. What is special about this painting is the very distinctive contrast of colours which are identified at the top and bottom of the painting  as well as the unique human figure in the middle which seems to be showing a feeling of anxiety and despair.

As Eggum (2000) signifies, Munch used a range of art materials, colours and techniques to complete this painting. For the sky, bright and warm colours have been used such as dark orange, red and yellow whereas for the bottom side of the painting he used cool and dark colours, such as black and brown.

Furthermore, while making the sky, Munch used a more modern style of drawing as for example the curves that he did to represent the sky. On the other hand, a more serious style seems to be shown at the bottom of the painting with straight and dark lines.

What is interesting however about this painting is that even though when you first look at this, you seem to be drawn by the complex and technical colours of the sky at the top of the painting, and appear to be taken away by that, the artist immediately succeeds in helping you to identify the main ‘message’ of the painting, the human figure which is in the middle. He achieves this by the contrast of the colours he used at the top and bottom of the painting.

Many definitions have been given about this painting as to where the artist was inspired from as well as what he tried to represent through his painting. The following abstract comes from Munch’s journal in Bjonstad’s book (2001) about Edvant’s Munch story.

“I was walking out with two friends. The sun began to set. I felt a breath of melancholy. Suddenly the sky turned blood-red. I paused, deathly tired and leaned on a fence looking out across the flaming clouds over the blue- black fjord and towns. My friends walked on and there I still stood, trembling with fear- and I sensed a great, infinite scream, run through nature.’’ (22 January, 1892)

The above abstract coming directly from Munch’s journal, explains in a way a person’s strong feelings which are represented in the painting from the human figure; a person who seems helpless and miserable, someone who is in despair and fear. Fear of the chaos that takes over his life, fear about the unknown, fear about his spirituality and mental health? The distinctive figure of his painting shows a range of strong emotions such as the obvious scream but at the same time poses questions about these emotions. Why is this person feeling this way? What is he afraid of or what is worrying him?

Moreover, the human figure can also be identified as the artist and through this he represents his feelings. In Berman et al (2006), Munch significantly mentions the difficulties he passed during his life such as the disease and death of his mother, following the disease and insanity of his sister.

Furthermore, another interesting point and simultaneously important is the other two figures that seem to be going the other way unaware of the situation of the main figure in the middle of the painting. These figures might be, the two friends the artist has mentioned in his abstract. It is interesting however, how calm and peaceful these are represented by the artist as opposed to the confused and disturbed human figure in the middle of the painting.

Finally, the sky which is clearly identified by bright colours at the top of the painting is explained by astronomers to be caused by the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano (Edvard Munch website, 2009) hence the bright red colour shown on the sky.

‘The scream’, is an ‘aristocratic’ and emotional piece of art. The artist is not afraid to show strong and disturbing feelings shown by the main figure of the painting. A scream, is an emotion that let people express what they feel, take out everything they are thinking. Sometimes it is a scream of despair and others of happiness.