The Scream Painting

The Scream Painting

              The painting of “The Scream” is an example of an autobiographical piece of art that is expressionistically constructed based on the actual experiences of Munch, depicting a scream that pierces the nature during his evening walk. From various reviews, it is possible to conclude that the painting is rather brutal and ugly which belongs in the present. These conclusions are based on the fact that the face is a form of delicate greenish flesh that has been stretched throughout the skull (Friedlaender, and Friedlaender, 25). Also, the painted features have been burned by pain and the remnants of this are two round white eyes behind a mask and an oval scream shaped open mouth. Based on a study conducted, it is evident that in spite of the trouble, the artist was able to create one of the most important paintings. This paper seeks to determine the reasons why the painting is interesting as well as learn what brings about this interest such as the history behind the painting or the colors used.

The painting has been viewed as an icon or similarly categorized as a masterpiece since the end of World War 2. From a review, the painting people’s interest in the painting has grown over the years. This is so as the benefits are tied to the imagery of the painting which is lingering and haunting in a unique way. With a single glance on the painting, one can notice the sense of despair; a complete reflection of the 20^th-century, mood as well as the age of uncertainties and anxiety (Jones, 1). Munch’s technique in the painting is quite crude and is executed in colors that are somehow mute but still in a position to be express the psychic reality. His ability to imprint his personality and style on the canvas by use of paint not only increased the popularity of his painting but also ensured that the work remained interesting to the viewer.

It has for a long time remained interesting on his ability to brilliantly capture his personal experience and manage to bring out the shared sense of anguish that for some time had silently and successfully crept into the consciousness of the westerners with progress in modernization. ‘The Scream’ was able to capture how the current moment during that period had progressed toa fever pitch serving the purpose of alienating modern humanity to a point where the alienation bursts out as a scream of nature. In its way, the painting expresses how western humanity had been estranged from nature to the point that no one was able to hear the whisperings of nature (Pitman, 72). Therefore Munch came up with a painting in which the viewer can project anger, anxiety, fear or horror as they wish thereby making it available for the viewers to have a glance at what they want to. This is based on the fact that these particular negative emotions are of the highest interest at any instance as humans relish wallowing in them.

Other than the negativity and the dark history associated with the painting, an article review of the art suggests that the art is more than just a receptacle for the anxieties felt as it also acts as a rescuer. Extra interest is therefore paid to try and understand how a painting can turn out to be a rescuer (Jones, 1). Munch ensured ‘The Scream’ offered a form of release from the banality and the grinding nature of politics, work as well as money. The scream can be concluded to be primitive and pagan in its shudder (Friedlaender, and Friedlaender, 25). The color used in the background of the painting can easily be compared to a work of impressionism. Unlike other paintings such as the ‘impression: sunrise,’ the scream is existential and philosophical in color.

In conclusion, based on the ton of evidence provided by studies and reviews, Munch’s painting deserves to be described as the Modern art’s icon. However, scholars disputed this description by concluding that Munch was an expressive painter rather than a painter with interests in rendering what he had seen. Other than history and color, benefits of the scream have also been based on facts such as the movie scream whose director was inspired by the painting by conceptualizing an idea of the hunting mask that dominates the entire film. Besides, since the painting was stolen more than once, it attracted a lot of attention and interest in the worth it had and still has. The fact that Munch produced several copies of this masterpiece, people were even more interested in getting a copy of their own upon selling. From a personal perspective, given the demand on the painting and the soaring of the art prices over the decades as well as through the recession, it’s possible to conclude that the picture is worth the amount of money it was sold.