Art may be perceived in many different ways, depending on the perspective of the individual observing the piece. Instead of simply painting a landscape scene based on what he sees, Edvard Munch captures his experiences through his emotions to paint, not his sight in The Scream. Due to witnessing many traumatic events first-hand at such a young age, Munch fell victim to severe depression and anxiety. He uses his feelings of anxiety and depression to depict his own emotions within the painting. By using contrasting color schemes and intense, rigid textures, Munch creates not what is seen, but symbolizes what is felt in a single moment. This allows the viewers to imagine themselves within the moment; therefore, the viewer is able to relate to the artist and his experiences. In The Scream, Munch manipulates perspective, lines, and color to depict the effects of anxiety and distress that convey his own internal conflicts of anxiety and depression.

The Scream is by far one of the world’s most recognizable Expressionist paintings. Many viewers recognize this painting by the pale figure grasping at its face in utter horror and distress. The main focal point of the painting, the distressed figure, captures the audience’s attention and arouses questions regarding the emotions behind the painting. Surrounding the figure are thick, dark lines, almost as if they were drawn with anger, framing the curvature of the figure’s head. The placement of the harsh, curved lines defines the face of the figure, causing the audience to infer that the emotions of the figure are overwhelming, not only an emotional level, but on a physical level as well. The flat, two-dimensional curvature of the lines not only define the figure, but also represents the emotions within its mind. The curved lines which represent the figure’s emotions and inner thoughts compete with the straight, harsh lines which represent the reality of the individual. The dock shown under the figure consists of highly defined straight lines that pierce into the figure itself, which suggests that the figure is unable to cope with its own piercing reality. Munch’s use of shadow causes the dock to jump off the page and look three-dimensional, unlike the two-dimensional background that appears flat. This three-dimensional dock depicts the reality of nature and is defined by the faint background figures. Munch does not create these figures in detail and cuts them off by the border, insinuating to the audience that the faint figures are of less importance than the distressed screaming figure. The faint figures do not interact with the scene but simply serve as bystanders glimpsing into the anxious mind of the screaming individual. These bystanders represent Munch’s close friends and their inability to help him cope with his depression and anxiety caused by his past experiences. Munch’s use of competing elements allows the audience to view the painting from the figure’s perspective and experience for themselves his inner thoughts of pain and sadness.

 The audiences’ eyes shift directly to the distressed figure due to Munch’s intentional use of strong lines, both straight and curved. The bold, curved lines of the sky arise directly onto the figure and outline the body of the screaming individual, causing the lines to frame the individual, guiding the viewers’ eyes towards it. The water within the background curves directly onto the face of the individual, implying that the individual is being slapped by nature’s powerful scream. The landscape consists of curvy lines that not only form the body of the individual, but also portray the individual experiencing what it is like to have all the weight on their shoulders. These curvy lines form a barrier on top of the individual, almost like the colors are falling onto it. The land mass shown within the landscape resembles an outreaching hand. The extended hand gives the audience the impression that it attempts to grasp the figure and bring it back to reality. Munch uses warm, bright colors and wavy, horizontal lines to create the sky, representing the anger and frustration that weighs down on the figure. The wavy lines are comparable to scribbles on a paper, demonstrating Munch’s internal feelings of chaos and madness. The contrast of the sky and the water amplify the scream of nature onto the figure and give the impression that the painting itself transmits sound, enabling the audience to experience nature’s scream, as Munch intends.

While the use of straight and curved lines surrounds and defines the screaming figure, Munch’s choice of color and light/shadow placement add to the emotional component of the painting. The majority of the painting consists of dark, gloomy colors; such as black, brown, gray, and navy. These gloomy hues express the sorrow and depression within Edvard Munch. Munch’s use of depressing colors suggest that he is in an unstable emotional state, causing him to paint his emotions. Munch chooses to place the figure in the center of the painting, causing the pale face to contrast the dark blue and black hues of the landscape surrounding the figure. The top of the painting, however, consists of bright, warm colors like red, orange, and yellow. These warm colors express Munch’s anger and frustration. The use of reds and oranges within the sky makes it appear as if it is burning up in flames. The bright reds and oranges exemplify anger and resemble burning fire in the gates of hell. This fiery anger intensifies the agony that nature is releasing into the figure which insinuates that the distressed figure is being weighed down by its anger and frustration. Munch’s use of contrasting and competing bright and dark colors express his internal struggle of competing emotions of anger, depression, anxiety, and sadness.

Edvard Munch illustrates his lifetime of anxiety and depression in his painting The Scream. Munch’s choice of placement enables the viewers to consider the painting from the perspective of the distressed figure. The use of intense lines, both straight and curvy, emphasize the emotions distressed figure, making it the focal point of the painting. Munch also manipulates the audience’s interpretation of the painting by contrasting the intense red and orange of the sky against the melancholy hues of blue and black at the bottom half of the landscape. Munch uses these techniques to showcase to the audience the emotional state of the figure. These techniques also create movement within the painting, enabling the audience to experience the same feelings and emotions as the distressed figure. Not only does the movement of the painting express the figure’s emotions, but also amplifies the scream of the figure, allowing the audience to experience nature’s scream as if they were within the painting.