Do not make the mistake of thinking Munch is just about "The Scream," or for that matter, angst. He was a great artist, who was the father of Expressionism, and his palette was large enough for every emotion. He dealt with melancholy, sadness, love, and yes, in his own way, happiness.
This show was marvelous and encompassed his influence on other great Expressionists. Kirchner's great painting, "Streets, Dresden," was, according to the curator, inspired by Munch. There are other Expressionists in this show who owe something to Munch, including Shiele and Kokoshka. I was most impressed by the work of Erich Heckel. The nude, "Girl With A Doll", by Heckel, is mesmerizing, with eyes that have an Egyptian allure.
As for Munch, the paintings are wondrous. Marvelous landscapes that are big blocks of color. Spare brush strokes with lots of canvas white showing through, as in "Bathers In A Pond", a happy painting , with great strips of color. "Model By The Wicker Chair", which is a lovely fluid nude, with strokes of white and blue and red. "Midsummer Nights", a lovely Summer idyll, in which couples recline in a park, full of bright colors.
And then there is what Munch is famous for, "Separation", in which a man has lost his love. He is bent in pain, his hands, blood red, and the woman he has lost, like a ghost is blending into the path, leaving him. Another powerful painting, "Melancholy" painted with broad strokes, shows a man in deep sorrowful contemplation.
And of course, a whole room is devoted to "The Scream", which evidently inspired paintings by other Expressionists of their own tortured souls. Amazingly, "The Scream" is pastel. The quote from Munch says it all, "Overcome with
Angst--I felt the great scream in Nature." And indeed he did.
But let's not forget, there's more to Munch than just "The Scream." This show at the Neue Galerie ends June 13, 2016.
This show was marvelous and encompassed his influence on other great Expressionists. Kirchner's great painting, "Streets, Dresden," was, according to the curator, inspired by Munch. There are other Expressionists in this show who owe something to Munch, including Shiele and Kokoshka. I was most impressed by the work of Erich Heckel. The nude, "Girl With A Doll", by Heckel, is mesmerizing, with eyes that have an Egyptian allure.
As for Munch, the paintings are wondrous. Marvelous landscapes that are big blocks of color. Spare brush strokes with lots of canvas white showing through, as in "Bathers In A Pond", a happy painting , with great strips of color. "Model By The Wicker Chair", which is a lovely fluid nude, with strokes of white and blue and red. "Midsummer Nights", a lovely Summer idyll, in which couples recline in a park, full of bright colors.
And then there is what Munch is famous for, "Separation", in which a man has lost his love. He is bent in pain, his hands, blood red, and the woman he has lost, like a ghost is blending into the path, leaving him. Another powerful painting, "Melancholy" painted with broad strokes, shows a man in deep sorrowful contemplation.
And of course, a whole room is devoted to "The Scream", which evidently inspired paintings by other Expressionists of their own tortured souls. Amazingly, "The Scream" is pastel. The quote from Munch says it all, "Overcome with
Angst--I felt the great scream in Nature." And indeed he did.
But let's not forget, there's more to Munch than just "The Scream." This show at the Neue Galerie ends June 13, 2016.
RSS Feed