The artwork titled “Young woman on the shore” is a creation of Edvard Munch, completed in 1896 and falls under the Symbolism art movement. It was executed using the medium of aquatint on zinc and is considered a genre painting. The piece is quite substantial in size, with dimensions of 288 x 219 cm. Presently, this artwork is housed at the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway.
The artwork depicts a solitary young woman standing on the shore, facing away from the viewer, gazing out over the water. Her position evokes a sense of contemplation or longing. The vast blue sky dominates the upper portion of the composition, creating a backdrop that seems to merge with the sea in the horizon, suggesting a feeling of infinity or boundlessness. The subject’s long, flowing red hair and her white dress are rendered with visible brush strokes that lend texture and movement to the otherwise calm scene. The contrast of the naturalistic figure against the simplified landscape and the absence of any defining facial features invite viewers to project their own emotions and interpretations onto the scene. The use of color, light, and composition showcases Munch’s ability to evoke mood and atmosphere, which is characteristic of Symbolist art that seeks to capture the underlying emotions and ideas rather than realistic depiction.
