Edvard Munch’s iconic painting The Scream has been given a lot of attention. It’s one of the most iconic paintings in popular culture. It’s inspired countless spin-offs, and it’s on every schwag-tastic bit of kitsch. My cell phone has a Scream emoji. The original painting (1893 version made with oil, tempera, and pastel on cardboard) was stolen in 1994 and recovered within three months, only to be stolen again in 2004 and recovered again in 2006, and it last sold for auction for nearly 120 million dollars. It seems like historians are always hungry for clues about it’s mysterious colors, origin, and meaning imbued within it. It is the painting that launched a thousand therapists, because the expression of angst within it is familiar to everyone.
People ask if the title “The Scream” describes the person in the painting, open mouthed with horror. Or if The Scream describes the inner psychological turmoil within Munch himself. Perhaps there was a particular event that made it seem as if everything was a nightmare, and that’s what he painted.
There are actually 4 different versions of The Scream, plus a lithograph. Munch used the scene in other paintings too.
Sketches for Despair
Sketch for Despair, 1892
Despair, 1892
Despair
Anxiety
– together with two companions . . . the sun went down . . . it was as if a flaming sword of blood slashed open the vault of heaven – the atmosphere turned to blood – with glaring tongues of fire – the hills became deep blue – the fjord shaded into cold blue – among the yellow and red colors – that garish blood-red – on the road – and the railing – my companions’ faces became yellow-white – I felt something like a great scream – and truly I heard a great scream. ”
Munch wrote that the sky’s effect was after sunset, and it was over in a moment, not after 2 months like Krakatoa.
How about this: There is another meteorological phenomena that may better explain the blood red clouds in Munch’s painting. They are called Nacreous clouds – also known as mother-of-pearl clouds. Nacreous clouds occur mainly at high latitudes during the winter when temperatures in the stratosphere fall below freezing. They are most common in Antarctica, but have also been observed in parts of northern Europe.
Nacreous Clouds
Sky in Edvard Munch’s The Scream
They are rare, but typically seen within two hours after sunset when the sun is several degrees below the horizon. They first blaze with bright and shifting iridescent colors, then, with the sun farther below the horizon, the pearlescent colors are replaced by orange to pink hues that contrast vividly with the darkening sky.
Those are potential inspirations, as hypothesized by various natural scientists, who look to nature for explanations. The psychologists, who look for answers within people’s minds, tend to suggest it was inner torment that made The Scream. Perhaps it was a combination of several events. With iconic artwork and so much speculation, it’s hard not to wonder.
[image_with_animation image_url=”10026″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Frida Kahlo, 1952 Portraits of Artist’s Fathers It’s father’s day, so I’ve collected some drawings and paintings of artist’s fathers. Evidently fathers often read the paper, and sit in chairs. Note: The names listed with the artworks are the artist’s names, not the father’s. SAL Challenge Create a portrait …
Every president of the United States selects art for the White House. As our 44th president, Barak Obama and his family proceeded to select art – borrowed from three museums in Washington: the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the National Gallery of Art – for the family quarters, east …
You are invited to participate in an exquisite corpse style animal block printing project. Brian Lane of Print Zero Studios is collaborating with artists Peter Foucault and Chris Treggiari for a series of printing events at the Getty Museum in LA this July and August. The project is responding to their current exhibition “Book of Beasts: …
Do you make studies before you start a painting? Seems like most painting students don’t. We want to paint, not prepare to paint. Making a study prior to painting isn’t required for good artwork, but we learn about a subject every time we draw or paint it, so the act of sketching sure can help …
Theories on The Scream
Edvard Munch’s iconic painting The Scream has been given a lot of attention. It’s one of the most iconic paintings in popular culture. It’s inspired countless spin-offs, and it’s on every schwag-tastic bit of kitsch. My cell phone has a Scream emoji. The original painting (1893 version made with oil, tempera, and pastel on cardboard) was stolen in 1994 and recovered within three months, only to be stolen again in 2004 and recovered again in 2006, and it last sold for auction for nearly 120 million dollars. It seems like historians are always hungry for clues about it’s mysterious colors, origin, and meaning imbued within it. It is the painting that launched a thousand therapists, because the expression of angst within it is familiar to everyone.
People ask if the title “The Scream” describes the person in the painting, open mouthed with horror. Or if The Scream describes the inner psychological turmoil within Munch himself. Perhaps there was a particular event that made it seem as if everything was a nightmare, and that’s what he painted.
There are actually 4 different versions of The Scream, plus a lithograph. Munch used the scene in other paintings too.
– together with two companions . . . the sun went down . . . it was as if a flaming sword of blood slashed open the vault of heaven – the atmosphere turned to blood – with glaring tongues of fire – the hills became deep blue – the fjord shaded into cold blue – among the yellow and red colors – that garish blood-red – on the road – and the railing – my companions’ faces became yellow-white – I felt something like a great scream – and truly I heard a great scream. ”
Munch wrote that the sky’s effect was after sunset, and it was over in a moment, not after 2 months like Krakatoa.
How about this: There is another meteorological phenomena that may better explain the blood red clouds in Munch’s painting. They are called Nacreous clouds – also known as mother-of-pearl clouds. Nacreous clouds occur mainly at high latitudes during the winter when temperatures in the stratosphere fall below freezing. They are most common in Antarctica, but have also been observed in parts of northern Europe.
They are rare, but typically seen within two hours after sunset when the sun is several degrees below the horizon. They first blaze with bright and shifting iridescent colors, then, with the sun farther below the horizon, the pearlescent colors are replaced by orange to pink hues that contrast vividly with the darkening sky.
Those are potential inspirations, as hypothesized by various natural scientists, who look to nature for explanations. The psychologists, who look for answers within people’s minds, tend to suggest it was inner torment that made The Scream. Perhaps it was a combination of several events. With iconic artwork and so much speculation, it’s hard not to wonder.
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