Puberty 1914 - 1916

Editor: It’s disconcerting, isn't it? That central figure seems both exposed and deeply vulnerable. Curator: Indeed. What we are looking at is Edvard Munch's "Puberty," believed to have been executed between 1914 and 1916 using oil paint. Notice the stark simplicity of the composition. Editor: The brushstrokes seem rushed, almost violent in their application, especially in the background. And that peculiar dark shadow lurking behind her. It has a crude and rough appearance, almost as if rendered by untrained hands. What sort of materials and techniques are at play here to provoke such rawness? Curator: It is this juxtaposition of delicate figuration and agitated texture that speaks volumes. The crude handling of paint undeniably underscores the inner turmoil and awkwardness Munch intended to convey. Think of expressionism here. Editor: I keep returning to that shadow. Is it merely a compositional element or a loaded symbol about obscured labor or an unconscious social statement on the role of women as figures in society and history. What about her social context and her historical standing? Curator: Both, perhaps. It embodies a certain lurking dread but also provides formal counterpoint in its dark, amorphous shape and adds another layer of tension to an already fraught psychological scene. It may also emphasize that she feels as though she's constantly under the critical shadow of society. Editor: I agree, and note how it pushes our perception beyond the aesthetic appeal and to something heavier about making something of her vulnerable emotional labor and of how those emotions are seen and validated by an active, aggressive artistic hand. Curator: Very astute. We must also remember Munch’s penchant for rendering raw emotion and his radical experiments in visual form which speaks to broader intellectual concerns and aesthetic choices that are timeless. Editor: Absolutely. There is much to digest. Curator: Indeed, let us move on to the next piece, then.