From Kragerø 1910 - 1911

Editor: This is Edvard Munch's "From Kragerø," currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's such a vibrant landscape! What catches my eye is the bold brushwork and how the colors define the forms. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed, the formal elements are striking. Note how Munch deploys color not to mimic reality but to construct it. The dynamism emerges from the tension between the structural lines and the fluidity of the brushstrokes. Does this suggest any particular interpretation to you? Editor: I see how the brushstrokes bring out the structures, it makes me feel like he wanted to represent the energy of the place more than a realistic image. Curator: Precisely. We might consider how the artist’s aesthetic choices—the color palette, the texture, the composition—function as signifiers. Editor: I see how Munch uses the elements themselves to convey meaning. Thanks for the insight. Curator: A rewarding observation that enriches our understanding, indeed.