The Scream by Edvard Munch
In the painting, there is a person of unidentified gender beside a railing with chaotic surroundings at the back. The person is screaming with their hands on the side of their face. The intense red sky matches with the scream. At the background, two other people, faced away from the main figure, stand a distance away. If you look carefully, there is also a city mixed painted within the chaotic scene in the background.
The way Edvard Munch portrayed raw emotion in The Scream marked a turning point in art history. The early versions of this painting featured “almost violent, explosive strokes across the surface that deliver a high impact on the viewer” (TotallyHistory, 2012). This shows the intensity and strength in emotion delivered in the artwork. |
Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh
This painting is one of the most well-known paintings in the world. The night sky is full of exaggerated swirling clouds, luminous stars and a shining moon. This scene is something that most viewers can relate to. The sky helps the eye of the viewer move to and fro different parts of the painting. This engages the viewer. There is a peaceful atmosphere from the small town on the hills due to the use of cool colors. The steeple of the white church in the center shows the illusion of size and isolation.
A strong sense of emotion can be seen in the painting, especially in the stars and the sky where a range of strokes and colors all merge to form a curve in the background. This emotional intensity is contrasted by the cypress in the foreground, which represents the inner distress van Gogh was experiencing. The intensity of opposite emotions create an overall strong impact on the viewer as the viewers look at different parts of the painting. |
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt
The canvas depicts a scene of a couple wearing robes locked in intimacy in a field of roses, painted in a linear style. The Kiss is inspired by the artist’s captivation with eroticism. The artist portrays the woman differently from his other artworks. In this artwork, he portrays the female as the protagonist, not just as an object (LAKS GmbH, n.d.).
The artist applied several layers of gold leaf, which gives the painting a noticeable modern but redolent image. The man is portrayed with squares and rectangles while the woman is portrayed with soft lines and flowers (The Austrian National Tourist Office, n.d.). This painting strongly expresses the human emotion of passion, therefore showcasing the strength of the artwork in displaying emotion. |
The Lovers by Pablo Picasso
The Lovers portrays a relationship between two young people through their compassionate embrace. Harmony is demonstrated with the use of several techniques. Picasso used linen instead of canvas or other materials because it gives the painting a clearer and smoother appearance. The painting is generally balanced in terms of symmetry, showing regularity and harmony. Soft and continuous lines are used to produce a graceful effect.
Bright colors such as red, blue and yellow are used. The colors are also desaturated to enhance the realism of the painting. The painting also has a three-dimensional effect. There is softness and love in the eyes of the couple. This artwork shows strength – although not as aggressive as the previous artworks – in emotion through love. |