Self Portrait in Hell
Damnation was Edvard's destiny.
He turned away from his father's path
that would have led him to an afterlife
serenely ensconced in Heaven.
"I have, in fact, made up my mind to become
a painter."
Edvard Munch, age 17
As a small boy of four, Munch remembers standing
by the side of the road waiting for his dad to appear
from among the many workers trudging past,
finishing another day's long hours of labor.
They passed silently by. Each man
too tired to talk; too tired to think.
Sophie was Edvard's older sister.
She was taken from life in her youth.
Edvard's father was a doctor. He rose to
become Regimental Surgeon in Oslo.
Medieval quackery permeated the practice
of medicine in nineteenth century Norway.
Doctors were poorly regarded. The paycheck
Doctor Munch received was a pittance of what
a man in his position should command.
The family lived in a tenement building crowded with
rowdy families. There was no plumbing for these
bare bones flats. You were given two buckets.
The first was to fetch water. The other was to
carry off the day's excrement.
No matter. You had an ocean view.
Here was Munch's portrayal of romance over the course
of one life. On the left is an aspirational young lady,
depicted in white, and she is in love with love.
At center is the woman in red, involved in a dance.
They become a match made in Heaven.
Passion is fulfilled. Then betrayal.
The woman in funeral garb, at right,
despairs while her Henrik is out groping
someone new.
For Edvard, this course in life seemed baked in.
Success. Edvard Munch has made it as an artist.
He is eating in a fine restaurant and has a delightful
wine brought to the table to celebrate this moment
alone.
Midlife crisis in a new suit.
I found it at a yard sale.
Sort of looks that way.
Tempura on cardboard.
Not likely to be found at Windsor Castle.
The ghoulish character up front reacts
to a scream heard from nature and covers its ears.
The sun is setting. Red clouds brood overhead,
heavy with blood.
Munch never could get the clouds right.
He made this image many times over.
Each time the image he created never
quite captured his angst in this very
personal moment.
The image is now an icon of modern art.
Modest.
* * * * *
OVER EASY
No comments:
Post a Comment