Art as Crystallisation of Life. Considerations on a Work of Art by Edvard Munch ( From Nordstrand, 1892)

Abstract

The theoretical object emerges from the work of art, in its conception as well as in its contemplation. And an art theory acquires meaning only by realising itself in the artwork. Through the analysis of From Nordstrand, painted by Edvard Munch, this essay would like to focus on the singularity of a work of art, proceed less in the spirit of a totalising view, as it occurs when studying an artistic genre or theme or, still, an author’s style, and insist instead on the appreciation of a work of art, comprehend its specific character. The study is also an attempt to grasp how a canvas or, more generally, an image—given Munch’s use of various mediums—can embody the idea of crystallisation, expressed by the painter in his writings.