Death in the Sickroom 1896

Editor: So, this is Edvard Munch's, "Death in the Sickroom." Looking at the piece, I'm struck by the heavy, almost suffocating atmosphere. What symbols are at play here? Curator: Observe how Munch uses the human figure as a vehicle for psychological weight. Notice the pallid faces turned inward. Don't you feel the shared, unspoken grief? Editor: I do. It’s as if each figure embodies a different facet of mourning. Curator: Indeed. The dark clothing, especially of the figure in the foreground, represents not just mourning, but perhaps a kind of psychic shielding, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely. Now I'm noticing how the composition itself reflects that isolation. Thanks! Curator: You're welcome. Art is the language of the soul.