Thorvald Stang 1909

Edvard Munch painted this portrait of Thorvald Stang, using oil on canvas. I see juicy brushstrokes shaping Stang’s figure. You can imagine Munch, brush in hand, circling his subject, capturing not just a likeness, but a mood. The colour palette is muted, almost melancholic. It makes me think about the challenges of portraiture – how to capture a person's essence on a flat surface, how to turn a person into an idea. Look at the way Munch renders Stang’s face – the soft dabs of paint, the subtle shadows. There’s a sensitivity there, a sense of empathy. It reminds me of other portraits I’ve seen, by artists like Van Gogh and Picasso, where the artist seems to be searching for something deeper, something beyond the surface. It’s as though artists are always in conversation, echoing each other across time. Painting is about embracing uncertainty, and about seeking connection.