Self-portrait 1895

Curator: Here we have Edvard Munch’s self-portrait, made around 1895. The dimensions are roughly 45 by 32 centimeters. Editor: It’s startling, almost ghostly! The stark contrast and the bone at the bottom… chills. Curator: The piece is a lithograph, a printmaking technique that allows for relatively mass production, which democratized the image. Munch was very interested in the human condition, and its commodification. Editor: Knowing that, and looking again… the portrait loses some of its haunting aura and becomes a very aware, very modern statement. It makes me wonder, was Munch selling his soul? Curator: That’s a powerful interpretation. The bone becomes not a symbol of death, but of the raw material of art itself. Editor: Exactly! And maybe a sly dig at the art market, which is always hungry for the next bone to pick clean. It's just fascinating how the materials and method change the meaning. Curator: Indeed. It's a potent example of how artistic intent merges with the physical reality of creation. Editor: Well, now, that’s given me something to chew on.