The Scream

The famous painting by Edvard Munch was stolen on this date in 2004.  It's still at large. 

This is one of my favorite works of art.  It speaks to dark places in the soul, places of terror and anguish both.  Powerful imagery that leaves an imprint, that stays with you when you walk away.  That's the way the best art is.  It leaves an impression in your soul's eye.

"Scream" isn't quite the right translation, apparently.  The actual title is Skrik, a Norweigian word with common origins to the word shriek.  The painting has occasionally been called The Cry.  Most of us just know it as The Scream.

As to the painting's inspiration, Munch says

I was walking along a path with two friends – the sun was setting – suddenly the sky turned blood red – I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence – there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city – my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety – and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature.

Comments

[Nancy J. Bond]

That's exactly what I saw when I looked in the mirror this morning! ;-)

This primal scream painting has always been a favorite of mine. How sad that's it has never been recovered.

[Nancy J. Bond]

I said, "How sad that's it has never been..."

Shaking head...see? I can't even compose a decent sentence! :)

[David]

I've always thought it an interesting piece. (And Norwegian makes a diff to me, "roots" thing). But the "dark places" in my soul don't relate to it. It's muuuch too bright and cheery for that.

heh

I've always wonderedif "seasonal affective disorder" might have had some influence on some (heh, most? *s*) of Munch's work. Never know, of course. His painting reminds me of some of Kierkegaard's personas (and a lot of Kierkegaard's emotional life). Not quite existential, more genuine emotion than that. I could have seen him designing sets for some very... unusual Henrik Ibsen productions.

Munch: the unofficial godfather of German expressionism? Some powerful, moving stuff. (Some move me to ask simply, Why? )

;~)

But where are the purty flars?

:-)