As we analyze this painting for meaning, we should use the same strategies we use for conventional texts. We still pay attention to the artist's intended meaning, we still search for evidence that supports our interpretation, and we still explain how that evidence got us to our interpretation. In other words, we still use S-E-E!
What kind of evidence does a painting have? Well, visual evidence!!! Pay attention to the following details:
- colors - are they dark? vibrant? cheery? moody? calming?
- imagery - what symbols or metaphors might you see? do any of the images strike you as meaningful?
- brush strokes/texture - does it seem smooth, for instance, or is the paint thick so that you can see the brush strokes? Why? What does this add to the painting?
- how the artist catches your eye or leads your eye
- what is the artist trying to represent?
This is a painting you have probably seen before. It is entitled "Scream," painted by Edvard Munch, a Norwegian artist, in 1893.
What do you think Edvard Munch intended this painting to mean? Cite specific details from the painting as "evidence" to support your statement. Remember, two paragraphs, acknowledge your classmates' viewpoint, and USE EVIDENCE!
The colors seem more moody and calming than anything, They strike me as meaningful because you can tell it is derived from an emotional or realistic experience. It seems as if the strokes are heavy because they look so stroked in a way that it adds texture that makes a beautiful cast of shadows. It catches my eye whereas I see the beauty in the bridge and the color of the sky. I see it representing the person screaming as someone who is frightened in their situation.
ReplyDelete-Kaela A.
I think that the colors seem moody. I think this because when I look at the painting, and I see dark colors, like grey, brown, navy blue. I can see is that the person in the picture is either screaming because he's surprised at something, letting off steam, or screaming because he's afraid. Maybe he's screaming from something the artist experienced. They are meaningful to me because maybe the artist is going through depression, or anger,or something. Some of the strokes look heavy, but some look light. For example, the bright orange strokes in the sky, and the dark blue strokes in the water seem like they were painted with more force than the brown strokes on the bridge. The artist may have made it that way because he wanted to add some feel to the painting. It adds magnificent shadow affects that I could never do, and very good texture. The artist caught my eye where the screaming guy is standing. It's like a walk in the park, admiring the scenery, then you walk by a screaming bald guy who's obviously seen something either scary or interesting. I think that the artist is trying to represent a man screaming at something in the distance. I think that Edvard intended for the painting to mean that he's been going through a lot of pressure, either from lack of painting ideas to financial problems, and that he's gotten through that stage in life and he's screaming to release all that stored energy. Either that, or I'm completely wrong.
ReplyDelete-Apolo L.
There are no wrong answers here, as long as you support your interpretation with evidence and explain it. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Apollo. I think that the colors looked moody and almost....sad because of how dark most of the painting is, such as the river or the bridge. The brightest part of the painting is the orange sky, which really caught my eye. I also noticed that the brush strokes are very heavy, especially in the sky, river, and the screaming man. I think that the artist did this to show that those are the most important parts of the painting.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the river represents sadness or depression, and the man is screaming because he is suffering from that depression. I think that the bright sky represents happiness or hope. In my eyes, the painting is a metaphor. It shows that even though some of the world may be ugly and depressing and many people suffer because of it, there is also beauty in the world. The beautiful part of the world catches our eye and can distract us from the ugly part of it, at least for a while, just as the bright orange sky in the painting may distract us from dark bridge, river, and screaming man, at least for a minute. Then we may look at the darker part of the painting for a while, until the bright sky once again distracts us.
If this picture was expressed as a poem, you will most likely imagine it to be about a turbulent subject that may or may not have a slight touch of macabre in it. The painting is anything but serene—the vibrant orange sky and contrasting navy river says so. The colors in this painting, if you look at them closely, seem to be different shades of certain colors. For example, if you were to look at the the sky and the rails on the bridge, you would see that they are simply just different shades of a brownish orange. Now, the person screaming in the center of the picture is made with wavy brush strokes that are obviously seen. The painting is not meant to be realistic, but metaphorical. The man (or it) is obviously screaming about something, even if we may not see what it is. It may be the cause of the two persons standing in the background, or the fact that there is something black in the river. Or the man may be screaming for emotional reasons. He may have gone mad or something else. He may be in agony for all we know!
ReplyDeleteThe artist with this peculiar style or semi-abstract, wants our eyes to look at the angry sky and then trail down to the screaming person. Our eyes would later land on the two persons in the background doing who knows what. My guess is that he is representing conflict which can obviously be seen by the contrasting colors and the thick, rugged paint and pastels used. The painter could be expressing conflict in his life or could be showing us something that he has witnessed in a spectacularly unique way.
We can guess, but we may never find out why Edvard did what he did without asking him.
Like what Apolo and Hailey said, the colors look moody, but they also look dark and maybe a bit calming. Perhaps it's because of all the shades of blue for the river since they are mostly dark blues which may make the painting dark. It looks moody because, one the person who looks to be screaming maybe because of what had happened to him in his life and may just want to vent it out or maybe of what happened to someone he knew like a loved one and is just screaming because he wished he could have prevented it. The second reason is because of all the colors, look at the brush strokes, they look wavy and thick causing some of the colors to blend making the painting look moody due to the colors sort of meshing together. Lastly the colors look calming because of the blues and the oranges it's hard to explain but the way they just meet together to make the horizon just makes it look really calming to me.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that catches my eye is well, the stye of the painting. Like I said before, the brush strokes are wavy and thick making the colors blend and mesh to make the style of the art piece. What also catches my eye is the people and it kinda makes me think about why Edvard put the two people there because he should be a reason to put them there right? As for what I think Edvard is trying to represent is maybe he's going though a rough time in his life and maybe the person screaming is suppose to be him morning over a loved one or whatever happened to him. Now this is just what I think, there could be over a hundred different opinions about what this painting could be or mean but we may never know what the painting really means unless we ask the painter, but since we can't, it doesn't hurt to guess.
I agree that this painting does look moody. The brush strokes are heavy and everything is mostly in a dark colors except for the vibrant orange sky, which reminds me of a sunset. Towards the left side of the painting there are two people on the same bridge as the screaming man. Though, it's as if they're walking away from him. Are they just ignoring him scream? Do they even notice he's screaming? Could the reason why the painting is mainly dark be due the reality of feeling alone? Where you feel like there's no one left with you because they all walked away, and the harsh truth along with the tough love of reality slap you across the face surprises you with a pain in your chest that you don't even know how to react so you just scream. You get that epiphany, like a light bulb appears in a cartoon, though instead of a light bulb you have the vibrant orange sky giving off the obvious while your still in you cold dark nightmare. In nightmares, you feel cold, its dark, your alone like the painting, the man is screaming, but no one pays no attention. The scene is dark, and he's still left there. His epiphany shines through the vibrant sky, like when you wake up from your nightmare to see sunlight shining through your curtains...
ReplyDeleteI believe this painting represents the fear everyone has of being alone. Humans are typically dependent and have someone who they can count on, but the moment they leave and reality punches you in the gut, your emotions flow out of you like the air in you diaphragm when you scream. I know that my guess and ideas sound sad and depressing like dark colors in a painting, but sometimes life can be that way. Then the only thing you can do is have that realization, accept it and let the light back into you life after letting the emotions go and carry on with life.
-Nikamarie F.
I love these thoughtful responses and the use of specific painting details to support your interpretations. Keep the ideas flowing!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that this picture indeed is moody. The bright colors of the sky make this picture more calming though. I think that this picture symbolizes a bad dream. This nightmare involves you as the screaming man being overwhelmed with the dark river symbolizing the stress and bad things in life. Then there's the beautiful sky, which makes your dream better. You forget about the bad things and life and remember the sky which makes you calm and relieved and in your own happy place. The brush strokes are heavy in the river and sky meaning for them to be bold and stand out more in the painting. The artists heavy and dark strokes did work and made the sky and river stand out more.
ReplyDeleteWhat caught my eye in this picture was the 2 people walking to the screaming man on the bridge in the left side. I believe that these people are supposed to be hope. They're almost saying "hope is on its way!". This picture is supposed to represent life in my opinion. Life and it's twists and turns. The river isn't smooth and perfect like you may think life is supposed to be. The sky is your favorite and most memorable and cherished moments in life. Whenever you look at the sky (pictures or anything of that memory) you feel amazement. Then there's "hope" in its way! Hope is coming to tell you that hope will come and its on its way in your darkest times ( the dark overwhelming river or stress). The screaming man is surprised; the surprised man is surprised at life's twists and turns. This is what I think this picture represents, but that's just my opinion!
-Juliana P.
I agree with Juliana, this painting is moody. For example, the colors the artist used were mellow yet very sad and dark. This shows that the artist wanted to use colors that made the painting look moody. I feel that the river and sky are very meaningful in this image. For instance, the river is painted with different dark shades of blue. This shows that the river represents fear and death by using these dark colors and the man is scared of this. The sky is a vibrant, soothing image painted with many layers of orange and yellow. This represents hope or happiness from the despair or eternal fear bellow him.
ReplyDeleteThe brush strokes are vary smooth and supports the moody feeling of the painting. For example, the sky is painted in a wavy and smooth way. This shows that the painting is smooth and was made with patience. The artist catches my eye with the screaming man. For instance, the screaming man is sort of the centerpeice of the painting with the other elements of the painting revolving around him. This shows that the artist wanted to make the painting with him being the main element. I think the artist is trying to represent a man's fear of death and sorrow but there is still happiness and love trying to save himm from eternal despair. This is shown with the very dark river and the smooth and vibrant sky. This shows a "fight" between the sky and the river trying to take the man into eternal love or endless despair. There are so many elements to a painting that really effect the painting's final outcome. I love this painting and all of it's special features.
I think the colors are in fact dark and moody as well as sad as Haley said. All the colors are so dark and depressing at the bottom of the picture such as the river, bridge, and the man’s clothing. Yet when you look up at the sky, you see the vibrant orange sky because it contrasts so greatly to the horizon. In addition, the thick brushstrokes, to me, symbolize that Munch didn’t care if it looked sloppy or not. This leads me to believe that he painted this in a time of depression.
ReplyDeleteAs for metaphors, the sky really sticks out to me. From my point of view, it represents that there can still be beauty in times of hardship. Moreover, as Nikamarie said, why do the people in the background seem to be walking away? This could symbolize that Edvard was very lonely and through a painting was the only way he could express his feelings. Furthermore, as for the man, I associate him with Edvard Munch’s painting representation. As Apolo said, he can either be screaming out of fright, anger, or shock. I interpret this man’s feeling as anger because of the dark colors. My interpretation of the painting as a whole is that Edvard was in a period of his life where he didn’t have any inspiration or he was lonely and had no one to lift his spirits.
Edvard Munch's painting really shows a deep amount of fear in the picture. With the thick red sky and the dark black and blue water, the painting gives an image of anger. The dark colors and abstract, twisted shape give it almost a violent look which I feel the artist was trying to express because maybe he was depressed and this was his way of letting it out. Plus, I have heard that he was struggling with insanity so this could also be his insane side drawing a man (or what ever it is) screaming in this almost horrific painting of darkness.
ReplyDeleteThe screaming 'man' obviously is what is supposed to catch your eye but Edvard Munch really showed that by blending it in with the darkness of blackness in the water. Since there is so much darkness in the picture and the painting is actually called scream, maybe the "man" is representing a scream itself?
I think that Edvard Munch intended the painting to mean what it is like to be alone and afraid. The colors aren't bright and colorful, they are dark colors of dark blue orange browns and blacks. The artist isn't trying to say, " Hey look at the happy background and the 'screaming man' I want you to be happy!" No that is not what it is trying to say at all. It is dark, fearful, unhappy, and scary-like.
ReplyDeleteThe paint strokes for the background are wavy and not straight. Showing the fear and unsteadiness of the picture. The 'screaming man' is in all black, his hands covering his ears, and his mouth open wide. Screaming over fear, or just because that's what he loves to do, who knows. From the looks of it there are two people in the back, standing there looking at the man thinking he is insane (or something like that). Lastly, the picture's water part is all dark, black and blue, being very murky and scarey-like. Maybe the man is scared of something in the water and decided to show his fear over it.
-Taylor S.
"The Scream" by Edvard Munch seems to be moody. The strokes appear to be quite pigmented and heavy. The colors are both bright and dark,most being dark. When I look at the painting,I see that a majority of the painting is either grey,black,navy blue,etc..The gloomy colors might express depression,illness,exhaustion,or fright as Apolo has stated.
ReplyDeleteAlso,I think the screaming figure represents the nature. Considering that the bright sky catches my eye,it might've symbolized something to Edvard. The nature must've 'screamed' at him meaning that it might've kept him away from sadness,etc. and kept him at a short period of happiness. The dark colors could've represented the horrible society and the bright colors could've represented a happy getaway from society. We may never know what the painting really meant to Edvard,but we can enjoy the emotions the painting gives to us.
-Kayla A.#1
When I see this painting I feel many emotions. I instantly recognize many color uses. When I see the man's face i feel danger and loneliness. The colors seem to represent hardships. I think he intended the painting to contain depression. This makes me wonder, "Why is he screaming and why is he alone?" I think Edvard Munch chose his colors carefully to share his emotions and what he was feeling at the time.
ReplyDeleteThe artist's use of color and symbols plays a very important role. They lone man is a symbol of loneliness and emptiness. The fact that he is alone helps shows that he is lonely. The dark colors show hardships and maybe death in his life. The way he drew the man made it feel like he was a ghost and that no body paid any attention to him.
I think that the picture's colors are moody and dark as well as depressing. The person in the picture seems sad and afraid. The dark colors seem to make the person scared. A lot of people said it was about being alone, but if look closely; you might see two other people on the bridge or whatever it is. What catches my eye is how the person has his arms around his head. I think that he is trying to protect himself. The fact that his mouth is open could be because he sees something that he finds scary and depressing and is yelling in fear or shock. The red sky; however contrasts with the rest of the painting. Instead of being sad or scary, it almost makes it seem emotional.
ReplyDeleteThe heavy deep strokes add on to the sadness factor of the painting. They almost carry sorrow in them. Most of colors also get more depressing with the strokes.The person's structure show that he has been through very bad times and can't handle it. Years of depression have taken its tole on this person. The sky could show a way or form of happiness in the darkest time. We may never know what Edvard Munch meant by "Scream" but in my opinion it is about a person being scared, alone, and depressed finding a way toward happiness.
--------------------------------------------Jamal Nasim-------------------------------------------------
Edvard Munch's painting seems very moody and dark. When you look at it, you can tell that it shows the opposite of happiness; it shows fear. The colors are more on the darker side with the swirly and wavy brush strokes. It makes it seem almost violent. The volatile sky, the disturbed waves, and the horrifying screaming man.
ReplyDeleteThe ghost-like man stands in black with his hands covering his ears and his mouth wide open. His head and face are in an abnormal state. You notice the screaming man with his horrific features right away. This painting shows the power of agony and fear. The emotions and internal darkness that storms a human being. The scream can express the insanity side of Munch. The horrible scene on the other side of the fence can be interpreted to the danger of the world. Whereas, the fence helps protect humanity, yet the fear and horror of it stills gets to us. Some may get past it like the two men in the back, standing tall, or others may show their fright and their scream.
I think describing the man as in "agony" is very astute! Very thoughtful interpretation, Sasha.
DeleteThis painting has very depressing colors. They are very dark and scary. As Jamal said some people think that it's about being alone. If you look at the painting closely there are two other people. Maybe he is trying to protect himself from them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrew that there are many metaphores to this piece. For example the sky. The sky is very beautiful so it can resemble the beauty in hardships. In addition Nikka asked why are the other people walking away? This may simbolize that he is lonely
This painting strikes me as terrifying. the man in the painting has his hands on his face as if he were screaming for his mom. I notice two people in the very left hand corner, so perhaps he is afraid of them. Also, the way the the painting is painted it seems wavy, so it makes it spooky. The colors in the painting seem like it is halloween, which is also spooky. This painting to me seems all around spooky.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand the man in the painting may be surprised by the two people in the back. I also agree with Andrew because everything is beautiful in the piece. It seems like it is a nice night near the water. So far many people has said the man is lonely, And I agree, the people may be walking away. Overall I think the painting is more scary than anything.
"The Scream" by Edvard Munch seems moody. The strokes that he makes are long and heavy. Edvard Munch chose mostly dark colors, but he has a few light colors. The colors he chose mix perfectly together and make the picture look sad, and almost emotional. I think this man is depressed, not lonely, and he is just trying to let his depression and anger out through screaming. The reason I don't think he feels lonely is because there are other people on the bridge. The colors he chose could represent his feelings.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kayla A. #1. Maybe Edvard was trying to make the screaming man represent nature. The dark colors could possibly represent a horrible society, and the bright could represent a happy get away from society. Althouh, the society back then wasn't as bad as today. Yeah maybe there were a few problems, but not as much as today.
I think that the painting shows anger and sadness. i think that the strokes are thick and moody. this could possibly show the way that Edvard Munch felt while painting this. The man in the picture is screaming,which could mean that he is mad, or sad. maybe He painted it just how he was feeling.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Edvard Munch might have been so mad or sad that he wanted to scream. but instead, he drew a painting of his feelings. You can tell by the way he painted this that he was under some sort of stress.the long, thick strokes and moody colors show that he was angry, sad , or moody. He just wanted to scream
The right side of the picture looks like a large wave coming from afar. The color of the skys gives a "calm before the storm mood". In the left you can see figures in the distance. Possibly the man sees a large storm coming, attempted to warn people, and is now letting out his frustration.
ReplyDeleteThis could also be what I said above but figuratively. This could be the work of a artist struggling to get out his message. People may not listen to him or take him serious, so he lets out his anger/frustration in a scream. I disagree with the people saying the body of water represents sadness. I think it could represent looming danger. This could correspond with the colors of the sky. If the artist was going for a completely dark and depressed look the sky wouldn't be orange. I think the sky either represents hope (since everything isn't dark) or for lack of a better phrase the stillness before the storm.
The subject in the painting's eyes seem to be looking at something in front of him.
He could've just attempted to warn someone. Which in real life he could've tried to sell a painting, but no one understood it. So in conclusion, while some people interpret this as sad and depressing,I think this could either show frustration or desperation. If it infact means desperation then the sky repersents hope, yet if it represents frustration then I believe the sky could be a reason the people arent believing or understanding him.
I feel like Edvard Munch was trying to show a man or figure frightened preferably by the sky or the ocean. The strokes a heavy and long giving a weight to the feeling of the piece. This can give a feeling of anger or being afraid.
ReplyDeleteI understand that this piece was made around the same time as Van Gogh's "Starry Starry Night" and that both of the artist suffered from insanity. The figure in the photo is covering its ears. This could represent people ignoring him and his insanity. He screams but nobody listens. The colors in the painting are vivid and intense maybe representing his feelings and anger. Overall, the photo is probably about his insanity and nobody listening to him. The colors and mood of the piece show the intensity and feeling of the artist.
The painting looks very dark and moody. The colors look depressing. I agree with Marcus that on the right side there is a wave. The wave looks like the wave if going to hit the bridge, the man screaming, and the people behind him. I think the man is screaming because he sees the wave and is afraid of it. He might be trying to warn the people behind him, but they won't listen to him, causing him to scream.
ReplyDeleteThe stroke of the picture looks very heavy, making the texture of the painting look rough. The dark colors catch my eye. They might represent his emotions, dark.
I think the artist is trying to represent how he was feeling at the time of this painting.
He was probably depressed that nobody would listen to him, or help him.
I partially agree with the people who say the painting looks moody, but disagree with those who say it seems calming. This painting seems very un calm. To me, it seems like Edvard Munch was trying to portray anxiety, anger, and sadness. The heavy use of dark colors such as gray and navy blue radiates sorrow and the strong, vibrant orange may indicate anger. The stark contrast of the warm and cool colors reminds me of anxiety.
ReplyDeleteThe person in the foreground of the painting seems very unsettled. His expression is confused and scared. He is painted in dark colors which leads me to believe that he is nervous about his situation. In the background, two people are walking away. The person seems to not want to acknowledge them or ask for assistance, and this may mean his problems are internal and seemingly unsolvable.
~~Kayla A. II~~
As my classmates also say, the painting signify's a moody feel to it. The horrid expression of the man's face to the dark colors of the river may indicate depression. How ever the fiery orange colors may represent mental battle the man has to go through.
ReplyDeleteThe wavy and slurry brush strokes feels like big masses of color that lead into the focal point of the mans expression. The complementary colors of blue and orange compliment each other to give off intense eye catching ability. The violent rush if the river to the bloodshed sky surrounding the man could indicate his life. From the depressing mental thoughts if the river to the terrible actions or mental battles of the sky he's been up against. Overall, I believe the artist is representing the man's life of what he's lived through.
~Shreya S.
I think the man is scared by something. The sky is warm and full of warming colors. The river is dark and seems mysterious. The road seems blurred almost full of straight short brush strokes. The hills bend with the river. Something really interesting to me is that the people behind the m an are blurred which means the man must nbe walking or running at a really fast past.
ReplyDelete- Kayla H.
Also I think the river sort of represents life. There are the bends you must get around. Then there is the smooth parts to which you can just enjoy. In this picture I think this man has just gone to a funeral and is scared and still shocked. I think the artist trying to say that there are some rough parts in life.
I agree with Zachary, that Munch's painting shows a deep amount of fear. The dark colors show what Lauren said "dark and scary".Munch might have been feeling depressed, or wanted the person seeing the picture feel depressed with these dark colors.The paint shows that the person has feelings of fear and being lost in the darkness. It looks like, his "two friends"are leaving him to the unknown, and the area around the man starts to change and get darker. He feels depressed, unsafe, and lonely.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bryan that the man could have been screaming from the wave, but facing the fact that no one could hear or help him, which made him more disappointed.Another reason he could have been screaming is to call the people on the top left to come to him, as Bryan said.But they don't listen, making him want to scream.
Agreeing with Zachery and Rowan, I believe this painting represents fear and depression. The colors in this painting were dark and angry, like the thick and perfect strokes. I think this artist is trying to communicate being trapped inside his own head in the dark, with no one to help him get through it. That is why the others are leaving him. The artist caught my eye with his facial expression, a face that you can't get out of your mind. As I said earlier, the strokes show that the painter was painting with elegant anger. Also, as Rowan said, no one is listening to him, making him want to scream.
ReplyDelete