Jealousy I after 1896

Editor: Here we have Edvard Munch’s lithograph, "Jealousy I," from after 1896. The stark black and white creates such a feeling of unease, and the figures feel psychologically exposed. What do you see in this piece, especially concerning the power dynamics at play? Curator: This print, with its crude lines and emotional intensity, acts as a window into the late 19th-century crisis of masculinity. The exaggerated features of the jealous figure are not simply a caricature; they symbolize the anxieties of a man grappling with changing social norms and the perceived threat to male authority posed by the "New Woman." Do you notice how his gaze dominates the composition? Editor: Yes, he is very prominent, almost looming. The couple in the background seems unaware, or maybe unbothered. Curator: Exactly! Their intimacy, whether real or imagined, fuels his sense of displacement and powerlessness. This speaks to the broader fin-de-siècle discourse on sexuality, where male anxieties about female independence were often visualized as paranoia and irrational jealousy. This also extends to queer readings of the work where, with a closer look, this image can explore social structures that uphold power for some and threaten to subjugate others. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered those historical and gendered elements so explicitly. Curator: Munch uses the raw immediacy of the lithograph to explore these fraught issues. He transforms personal torment into a powerful commentary on the social anxieties of his time, particularly those surrounding gender roles and the struggle for dominance. Thinking about this context can transform our understanding of the work. Editor: Absolutely. I see it as more than just personal angst now; it's a reflection of societal anxieties. Curator: Precisely! And that’s where art history becomes a tool for understanding our shared human experience across time.