Edvard Munch

These act as stops to prevent our eye wandering off and out of the canvas.
             It is possible to assume Edvard Munch, the painter, is the character who is screaming and that these waves of lines and blend of colours represent turmoil; this turmoil being in the figure's or Munch's head. What suggests this to me is the fact that the lines that flow around the painting always lead to the head of the figure. Everything around the figure appears to represent the thoughts mixed up inside his head. The whirlpool suggests the confused mind of the person, almost like havoc, causing him to scream as if it is driving him mad. The reason I interpreted this, was that Munch also manages to keep me a little focussed on the whirlpool as well as the screaming figure, suggesting to me a connection between the whirlpool and the scream of terror. This makes me think, "Does the scream itself become the landscape?" .
             A limited palette of complementary colours, such as blues and oranges, are used for added vibrancy. A stark contrast, I believe is effective, as red suggests anger and heat, whereas blue suggests coldness and a blend oil paints and pastels create a mixture of colours, like the mixed up emotions, thoughts and feelings of the skeletal figure. Anger and frustration is also suggested through the scraped on pastel lines as well as the very visible brushstrokes, making it seem as if Munch has executed this work at speed, through his need to release his pent-up emotions onto the canvas. It is as if this represents Munch's inability to communicate with people, even through a scream, but can perhaps express himself more successfully through his painting.
             These two anonymous figures help suggest to me that this scream is internal, within the dark figure's mind since it looks as though they have possibly walked by him and carried on along the bridge. They both seem to be walking towards a light, away from Munch, ignoring him.