Fortvivlan,1892, STOCKHOLM THIELSKA Edvard Munch (1863-1944)

Description of Edvard Munch’s painting "Despair

The famous expressionist Edward Munch was among the first artists to discover the new movement. Expressionism was a movement whose main idea was to express strong emotional feelings through artistic means.

Many art connoisseurs call Munch’s painting The Scream the pinnacle of his career. The phenomenally popular work of the Norwegian painter belongs to a series of similar works. Among them, the work "Despair" in 1892 comes to mind.

The author made a written note to the picture. In it he describes an episode during a walk. He was in the company of two comrades. The time was nearing evening, the sun was setting, and the sky was ablaze with scarlet colors. This color impressed the artist, it seemed to him to be blood red. Munch had a melancholy attack. He leaned wearily against the fence on the bridge. The friends remained unconcerned by the sudden illumination of the halted friend. They continued on their way alone, engrossed in conversation.

We see the described plot in "Despair." The lonely man with the hat in the foreground stares into the abyss with sadness and fatigue. In the distance you can see a fjord, a wharf, and city buildings. Above the land, the sky is painted in red flames. Two more characters stand in the distance, faceless and indifferent.

The mood of Munch’s paintings changes from fear to jealousy, from melancholy to despair and screaming. Gloomy perception of the world is reflected in hundreds of paintings of the painter. Emotions of human grief and pessimism deserve close attention. The author reflects them on the canvas with contrasting colors and smooth strokes. Despite the lack of clear features on the faces of his characters, you can still see strong emotions on them. This is the genius of the master and his originality.

The painting "Despair" is generated by a deep sense of loneliness, hopelessness and humility before the tragic outcome of life.