Madonna 1895 - 1902

Editor: This is Edvard Munch’s lithograph, Madonna. It looks like a fairly intimate depiction, but the turbulent lines and that foetus-like figure in the corner give me the creeps. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: The Madonna, a loaded image, no? Munch complicates it. Consider the halo, morphing into swirling waves—a symbol of fertility, but also chaos. And yes, the small, haunting figure raises questions about innocence and the cycle of life. Editor: So, it’s not a straightforward religious icon? Curator: Not at all. Munch uses recognizable symbols to explore deeper, often conflicting, emotions about femininity, sexuality, and creation. It’s a psychological landscape painted with archetypes. Editor: That’s fascinating. I hadn’t considered how personal and fraught those symbols could be. Curator: Indeed. Munch invites us to confront the complex and often contradictory nature of human experience.