“Man and Woman I” is a notable artwork by Edvard Munch, created in 1905. This woodcut, printed on board, is an exemplary piece of the Expressionism movement. Measuring 40.3 x 54 cm, it falls under the genre of portrait and is presently housed in the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway.
The artwork presents a striking depiction of a man and a woman. The portrait conveys a sense of raw emotional intensity characteristic of Expressionism, which aimed to evoke subjective emotions rather than replicate objective reality. Munch’s use of bold lines and contrasting colors emphasizes the psychological tension between the male and female subjects. The woodcut technique, with its stark contrasts and visible cutting marks, contributes to the overall impact, underscoring the existential angst and depth of human experience that Munch often portrayed. The background surrounding the figures is highly stylized and abstract, with lines that appear to suggest a chaotic or dynamic environment, further reinforcing the emotional tenor of the work. The result is an artwork laden with emotional resonance, capturing the complexity of human relationships.
