On the Veranda 1902

Curator: Here we have Edvard Munch's "On the Veranda," painted in 1902. What's catching your eye? Editor: It's got this nostalgic glow. Kinda feels like spying on a memory, doesn’t it? Those two women with their backs turned… makes you wonder what they're looking at. The color palette has a mellow autumnal vibe as well. Curator: Yes, their positioning really does create a sense of distance and observation, playing into themes of isolation that resonate in Munch's wider oeuvre. Looking through the lens of feminist art history, one could argue that the representation of women gazing outwards hints at repressed desires or societal limitations during the period. Editor: Ooh, interesting angle. I hadn’t thought of it that way. For me, it also speaks to something more personal. Their stance reminds me of my sister and I plotting silly things as kids. Maybe they're sharing secrets, you know? Or even imagining a different, less stifling life for themselves? Curator: Perhaps the blurred features speak to that liminal space between girlhood and womanhood. But Munch's Symbolist style, also points to exploring inner psychological landscapes too. Consider the veranda itself as a metaphor—a transitional space between the safety of home and the perceived openness of the world beyond. Editor: Totally. And those colours, that ochre tree and the green field...it’s both hopeful and a little sad, like the end of summer when the skies start getting grey again. What about his brushwork—seems so alive! Curator: Absolutely. His application of oil paint is characteristically expressionistic; bold, visible strokes emphasizing emotion over strict representation. That’s very consistent across all of Munch’s periods, even as the figures themselves vary greatly from painting to painting. It invites reflection on the constraints placed upon women at the turn of the century. Editor: Mmhmm, now when you put it all together… Makes me see these women are kind of trapped, even in this pretty scenery. It’s so weird, happy and ominous at the same time. Curator: That tension is crucial, reflecting social anxieties prevalent at the time concerning female agency. Thanks for those deeply resonant thoughts. Editor: My pleasure, truly! It’s made me think so differently, and now I wonder if I need a new veranda!