Edvard MunchNorvegia, 1863–1944The Girl by the Window
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Edvard Munch’s life and art — particularly his iconic work The Scream (1893; National Museum, Oslo) — have come to epitomize modern notions of anxiety. Yet the same year he painted his radical image, Munch was experimenting with other styles and themes. Frequent visits to Paris and Berlin between 1889 and 1893 brought the Norwegian artist into direct contact with the Impressionists and Symbolists. These travels encouraged him to adopt their bold brushwork, daring compositions, and imagery. But he nonetheless continued to incorporate the Romantic subjects of the northern European artists long familiar to him, such as a lone figure at an open window. This combination is powerfully manifested in The Girl by the Window, made soon after his return home to Norway.
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In the dead of night, a young girl in her nightgown stands in a darkened room gazing out at the city. The steep angle of the floor and the deep shadows that obliterate everything in the room, save a suggestion of a piece of furniture at the lower right, create an unsettling and enigmatic scene. Loosely applied, somber brown tones mingle with violets and blues, evoking a feeling of melancholy and anticipation. The window functions as a symbolic barrier, separating the interior from the outside world. The sense of mystery is deepened and complicated by the fact that we cannot see the expression on the girl’s face, nor do we know what she covertly observes. She in turn appears unaware that, as she gazes from behind the curtain at something unknown outside, the artist and implied viewer are watching her.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
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- 2000.50
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- Art Institute of Chicago
- Immagine: Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
Nel frattempo, nella vita di Edvard Munch
Tutta la vita1892
The Berlin Circle: Strindberg and Przybyszewski
He immersed himself in the life of Berlin's artistic "underground," growing close to August Strindberg, Stanisław Przybyszewski, and Dagny Juel, who became his muse.
1892
"The Munch Affair": Scandal in Berlin
At the invitation of Adelsteen Normann he exhibited at the Union of Berlin Artists; the show provoked fierce controversy and was closed within a week. The conflict led to a split in the Union and the formation of the Berlin Secession.
1893
The "Love" Exhibition: Beginning of "The Frieze of Life"
At an exhibition on Unter den Linden he showed, among other works, six paintings under the title "Studies for a Series: Love" — the beginning of the cycle later named "The Frieze of Life — a Poem about Life, Love and Death."
1894
Turn to Copper Engraving
He began engraving on copper on his own, without formal training, working in etching, drypoint, and aquatint, and created many masterpieces in the medium.
