Edvard Munch and "The Scream"

Background of Edvard Munch

• Born in 1863, one of five children
• His family was heavily affected by tuberculosis:
  • Mother and elder sister died from the disease
  • Munch himself suffered from tuberculosis
• Another sister suffered from mental illness
• Grew up with illness, often drawing and listening to his father's ominous stories
• His father was a devout Lutheran and considered Munch's art unholy
• Munch felt haunted by fear, sorrow, and death from a young age

Artistic Development

• Moved to Berlin, joined creative circles rejecting academic tradition
• Transitioned from classical training to "soul painting"
• Focused on raw, subjective emotions rather than realistic rendering
• Often depicted personal suffering in his works
• Criticized for unsympathetic portrayals of women
• Death was a recurring theme in his art

"The Scream"

• Created in 1893, inspired by a moment of intense anguish
• Based on a diary entry from January 22, 1892:
  • Munch was overwhelmed by the sky's dramatic change while walking with friends
  • Described the feeling of "an infinite scream passing through nature"
• Initially depicted the scene more humanly, later abstracted it
• Created four versions of "The Scream" (two with pastel, two with paint)
• Added an inscription on the first version: "Could only have been painted by a madman!"
• The figure in "The Scream" is interpreted as reacting to the scream, not emitting it

Impact and Legacy

• Premiered in Berlin in 1893, contributing to the Expressionist movement
• Expressionism focused on stark psychological states, influenced by "The Scream"
• Entered the public domain in the mid-1900s, increasing its fame
• Appeared in popular films in the 1990s
• Both painted versions were stolen and recovered in separate heists
• Became an archetypal symbol for horror and angst
• Inspired an emoji and considered for marking hazardous sites by the US government
• Despite cultural adaptations, it remains a universal symbol of angst

Cultural Influence

• "The Scream" has inspired various renditions and reproductions
• Its expression is iconic and recognized globally
• Continues to echo Munch's personal agony while resonating with universal themes of horror and anxiety