Insanity

The Scream- Edvard Munch

Describe

In this infamous painting the flowing lines and seemingly abstract shapes give it incredible movement. The line work in "The Scream" consists of edge and implied lines as seen in the sky and ocean of the background and in the clothes, body, and face of the main, screaming, figure. Actual lines are present in the railing of the bridge all three figures are standing on. Now, there are basically no geometric shapes in the entire painting, excluding the railing and the screaming figures head, this keeps it from looking still and posed. Instead, all of the shapes are invented, or organic in the case of the water. The texture of the overall piece seems rough because of the many overlapping and scratchy brushstrokes; there is almost no smoothness. Finally, the lighting of the painting seems to come downward from the bright sunset over head, and it casts onto to the scene below is creating value.

Analyze

This work is evenly balanced, nothing seems to dominate it in an unattractive way that would make it in proportional. Saying that, the two parts that your eye focuses on the most are the brightly colored sunset at the top of the image and the dramatic expression of the screaming figure in the foreground. The reason the figure seems to stand out the most has to do with the way the lines flow towards it, directing your eye its way, its dark gown that sharply contrasts the vibrant colors around it, and the unique shapes it's comprised of. When you first set your eyes upon "The Scream", then shoot up to the explosion of colors in the sunset, then they follow the directions of the following lines that make up the background down to the "screamer", and finally up the lines, the converging parallels, of the dock to the two figures retreating in the distance. To provide visual interest, the artist used bright colors, varying forms of line (flowing, straight, rough, scratchy, circular-curling), implied lines which also make this piece dynamic, and an almost abstract use of shape.

Interpret

"The Scream" by Edvard Munch conveys a state of insanity. The disturbing face of the person in the foreground reminds me of someone who isn't in his right mind, they don't know what's going on, everything around them and the events they take part in are slowly breaking their sanity and weakening their mind. Also, the rough, scratchiness, of the lines resemble the crazy sketches done by someone who's perhaps lost their mind or is suffering from a traumatic experience. The mess of colors and the way the lines all seem to mesh together, to me, represents who someone in this state of mind might see the word. Finally, after researching this piece I found that the artist himself, in his own personal diaries, admitted to struggling with insanity, as well as other people in his family.