Madonna (Conception)
12:00 AM
 |
| Edvard Munch, Madonna (Conception), 1895-1902 |
Death
walked alongside Edvard Munch his entire life. Laura Catherine Munch, Edvard’s
mother, contracted tuberculosis and promptly passed away in 1868. Munch was
four years old at the time. Tuberculosis would proceed to take the life of
Munch’s sister, the fifteen-year-old Sophia Munch, in 1877. Christian Munch,
the father of Edvard, died in 1886. 1895 would see the passing of Andreas
Munch, Edvard’s brother. Munch and Death became acquaintances in this time
period, but never friendly ones.
Andreas’
death in 1895 coincided with Munch sketching Madonna (Conception). Munch’s tragic life had taken a toll on the
artist’s faith. Munch had been raised a devout member of the Lutheran Church,
which helped the rest of his family deal with Death’s constant visits though Munch
found himself being less and less drawn towards Christianity. Instead, he found
pantheism, a belief system where the universe is synonymous with God and possesses
the holiness of God. Bordering on agnosticism,
Munch wandered through life not giving much merit in Christ’s divinity, but
Munch did approve of the overall message of Christianity. Munch’s Christ was
one of love, but not divinity.
In 1902 Munch lost one of his knuckles. He had gotten into a fight with a rival artist that resulted in a gunshot wound in Munch’s hand. Tulla Larsen, Munch’s longtime lover, witnessed the fight and soon after left Munch. The couple had been together for many years, but never married do to Munch’s fear of matrimony and anxiety. 1902 was also when Munch had the sketch of Madonna lithographed. Munch then colored in several different versions of Madonna. The work had been finally completed.
Munch leaves Mary with almost no indications of who she is. One subtle hint at Mary’s divinity would be the red halo above her head. Mary, the sperm, and Fetus-Jesus are colored in with a pale white that suggests purity, but white could also indicate frailty. Fetus-Jesus looks starved and unhealthy. The world of unending earthly horrors seems too much for the little guy. Munch wished to impose his own depression on Christ to see if He could take it. In Madonna (Conception), He cannot.
In 1902 Munch lost one of his knuckles. He had gotten into a fight with a rival artist that resulted in a gunshot wound in Munch’s hand. Tulla Larsen, Munch’s longtime lover, witnessed the fight and soon after left Munch. The couple had been together for many years, but never married do to Munch’s fear of matrimony and anxiety. 1902 was also when Munch had the sketch of Madonna lithographed. Munch then colored in several different versions of Madonna. The work had been finally completed.
Munch leaves Mary with almost no indications of who she is. One subtle hint at Mary’s divinity would be the red halo above her head. Mary, the sperm, and Fetus-Jesus are colored in with a pale white that suggests purity, but white could also indicate frailty. Fetus-Jesus looks starved and unhealthy. The world of unending earthly horrors seems too much for the little guy. Munch wished to impose his own depression on Christ to see if He could take it. In Madonna (Conception), He cannot.
0 comments