Workers in the Snow (1913) by Edvard Munch

Workers in the Snow - Edvard Munch - 1913

Artwork Information

TitleWorkers in the Snow
ArtistEdvard Munch
Date1913
Mediumoil,canvas
Dimensions163 x 200 cm
Art MovementExpressionism
Current LocationMunch Museum, Oslo, Norway

About Workers in the Snow

Edvard Munch’s artwork “Workers in the Snow,” created in 1913, is an oil on canvas painting that belongs to the Expressionism movement. The artwork spans 163 x 200 cm and is categorized under genre painting. Currently, it is housed at the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. As an exemplar of Expressionism, this artwork serves to convey the emotional and psychological states of the subjects, reflecting a common thematic focus of the movement.

The artwork presents a vivid depiction of laborers enveloped by the bleak, wintry landscape. Dominating the foreground, three men emerge, presumably workers, who seem to be on the move, each grasping the tools of their trade. They are portrayed with somewhat exaggerated and stylized features, a hallmark of the Expressionist style that seeks to evoke an emotional response rather than aiming for realistic representation.

Their garments are rendered in dark colors, contrasting against the whitish-blue hues of the snow, with strokes that suggest movement and roughness, perhaps symbolizing the harsh conditions under which they labor. In the background, one can discern other figures engaged in various activities associated with toil – some appear to be digging, while others are standing, contributing to the overall atmosphere of communal effort in confronting the rigors of the environment.

The intense brushwork and the use of a somber palette underscore the sense of struggle and endurance against the elements that Munch may have been aiming to capture. In painting “Workers in the Snow,” Munch effectively translates the physical and existential adversity faced by the workers into a visual narrative, imbued with the broader emotional and psychological themes typical of his oeuvre and the Expressionist movement more generally.

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