Jealousy 1913

Editor: Munch's "Jealousy," painted in 1913, is… striking, to say the least. The swirling oil paints and the expressions on their faces—especially the man in the foreground—create such a raw, anxious mood. I can't help but stare, though it makes me uncomfortable. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, the discomfort is palpable, isn’t it? Munch had a way of laying bare those gnawing emotions we try so hard to bury. Look at the colours – the almost sickly greens and yellows clinging to the faces. It's not just a portrait, is it? It’s the physical manifestation of an inner torment. Have you ever felt like that? Like jealousy was a colour staining everything you see? Editor: I... think so? Maybe not to this extreme. I do wonder about the woman in the middle. She seems so detached, almost serene. Curator: Exactly! And isn’t that the dagger twisting in the jealous man's heart? Her indifference, real or perceived, is what fuels his agony. Is she oblivious or is she enjoying this… silent drama? It’s a question Munch leaves deliciously unanswered. Munch loved to dance around such topics – love, anxiety, death. They’re not things you can easily pin down. Editor: It definitely gives you a lot to think about. And it almost makes me feel grateful that most of my experiences of jealousy haven’t been rendered into paintings for all to see. Curator: Precisely! Art at its best can give a person space to reflect upon difficult subjects and find some light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for highlighting such a relevant piece of art!