Early Modern Blog Exhibit

 This week I chose the essay option. The three works of art I will discuss in my essay are "The Scream" by Edvard Munch, "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" by Pablo Picasso, and "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper. 

The Scream, 1910 by Edvard Munch 

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 by Pablo Picasso

Nighthawks, 1942 by Edward Hopper

A strong sense of discomfort and uncertainty pervaded the early 20th century, and this emotion was represented in the art of the time. Artists of the time struggled with the problems and concerns of their era, from the upheavals of World War I to the economic instability of the Great Depression. “The Scream” by Edvard Munch, "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" by Pablo Picasso, and "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper are three early 20th-century paintings that we will examine in this essay to see how they depict the spirit of this upheaval.

Edvard Munch's "The Scream," which he painted in Oslo, Norway, in 1893, is one of the most well-known pictures of the 20th century. A creature with a skull-like visage and hands covering its ears is shown in the painting wailing in agony against a background of blazing red and orange. The figure and the landscape's writhing lines and warped forms communicate the artist's own thoughts of dread and worry by evoking a sense of chaos and terror. The powerful feelings of the time, as individuals struggled to cope with the uncertainties of the contemporary world, are captured through Munch's use of vivid colors and exaggerated figures.

Pablo Picasso's revolutionary painting "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon," completed in 1907 in Paris, France, served as the catalyst for cubism, one of the most significant creative trends of the 20th century. Five naked ladies are shown in a brothel in the painting, their bodies shattered and deformed into distinct geometric patterns. With its quick changes and shifting social standards, the modern world is split, as shown in the painting's disconnected composition and broken forms. Picasso reflects the angst of a changing society through the use of strong, flat colors and sharp angles that evoke a sense of disorientation and disquiet.

Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks," which he painted in New York City in 1942, depicts a gloomy late-night cafe with three individuals sat at the counter and a lone man at a table in the distance. The bold, geometric shapes and stark lighting of the painting evoke a sense of alienation ad loneliness while also representing the confusion and unpredictability of living in a world that is changing quickly. While the deserted streets outside suggest the emptiness and despair of contemporary urban life, the painting's unsettling stillness evokes the sense of a society in suspension, waiting for something to happen.

These works of art each express a distinctive facet of the angst and uncertainty of the early 20th century. With its vivid colors and warped forms that reflect the depth of emotion that people felt, "The Scream" perfectly conveys the sense of dread and despair that followed the upheavals of the time. The fragmented forms and disorienting composition of "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" portray the splintered nature of contemporary society, reflecting the sense of dislocation and disorientation that people went through. With its austere lines and empty spaces, "Nighthawks" conveys the unsettling quiet of modern life and the sensation of isolation and alienation that individuals experienced in the face of the unknown.

These three works of art, which capture the era's sense of unease and dread, provide insightful looks into the spirit of the early 20th century. From Munch's vivid colors and exaggerated forms to Picasso's shattered composition and geometric patterns to Hopper's stark lighting and empty spaces, each painting uses a unique combination of artistic elements to express its message. We can comprehend the problems and concerns of this crucial time in history better by looking into these artworks and their subjects.

References 

Art in Context. 2023. ""Nighthawks" Edward Hopper - The Lonely Diner at Night." Art in Context. https://artincontext.org/nighthawks-edward-hopper/.

Harris, Dr. Beth, and Dr. Steven Zucker. n.d. "Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon." Khan Acadamy. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/cubism-early-abstraction/cubism/a/picasso-les-demoiselles-davignon.

Paulson, Dr. Noelle. n.d. "Munch, The Scream." Khan Acadamy . https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/later-europe-and-americas/modernity-ap/a/munch-the-scream.