Red and White 1900

Edvard Munch created "Red and White", using oil on canvas, to present a striking depiction of female figures in a landscape. The bold use of colour, combined with the figures' ambiguous expressions, create a sense of unease and psychological tension. Painted in Norway, around the turn of the 20th century, "Red and White" coincides with a period of rapid social and cultural change. The rise of industrialization and urbanization led to new anxieties about identity, gender roles, and the nature of human relationships. Munch was a leading figure in the Symbolist movement, which rejected Realism in favour of subjective experience and emotional expression. His work often explored themes of love, death, and existential angst, reflecting the anxieties of modern life. Looking closely at the artist's wider body of work, using catalogues and other publications, we find more meaning about the artist's life experiences and motivations. Appreciating the art of the past requires us to constantly reconsider the social and institutional context that shaped it.