Melankoli III (Melancholy III) 1902

Curator: Edvard Munch's "Melancholy III," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, presents us with a fascinating study in form and color. Its compact dimensions belie the depth of its emotional impact. Editor: It's like staring into a burnt sunset… or maybe a really bad bruise. The texture itself, so coarse, almost amplifies the feeling of unease. Curator: Indeed, the horizontal striations, visible across each of the three distinct registers, work to flatten the pictorial space. Note the tension between the fluid lines of the shoreline and the rigid woodgrain. Editor: I'm drawn to the silhouette on the right… is that a head in profile? It's so subtle, almost lost in the wood. It adds a layer of human solitude to the landscape. Curator: Precisely. The figure, barely discernible, becomes an integral part of the composition, embodying the very melancholy the work aims to convey. Editor: Ultimately, it's a powerful image, this strange puzzle of wood and sorrow. It feels like a raw, unfiltered glimpse into Munch's mind.