The Girls on the Bridge 1896

Curator: Looking at Edvard Munch’s “The Girls on the Bridge,” one immediately senses a peculiar tension. The rough etching lends an anxious quality. Editor: Indeed. This print, now held at the Harvard Art Museums, is evocative of the social anxieties pervasive at the turn of the century. Notice how the bridge serves as a liminal space, connecting and dividing the figures. Curator: The composition is striking. The foregrounded girl, clutching her hat, is rendered with an almost unsettling directness, while the other figures recede into shadow and abstraction. The use of line, the contrast, and the pure materiality all contribute to the overall emotional charge. Editor: It speaks to Munch's broader exploration of alienation and identity within a rapidly changing social landscape, where women's roles were especially contested. Curator: Precisely. Focusing on formal elements unlocks a deeper understanding. Editor: By acknowledging the historical context and societal issues, we can better interpret the artwork's continuing relevance.