Puberty By Munch

Puberty is a painting created by Edvard Munch. Munch is an artist native to Norway and is widely known for his role in expressionistic art. Puberty has also been done as a lithograph and an etching by Munch. Upon observation of Puberty one of the strongest points in the piece to most is first the adolescent female who is placed mid-center of the painting. The second almost 'haunting' point in this painting is the shadow the female is meant to be casting. It has been speculated, because of the current sexual mind Munch was in during the time in which he painted this, that the shadow may be a hovering male genital. The thought of male genitalia to a young woman during this time of her own rapidly changing body creates a stench of tension within the piece. Another thought on the shadow is that it suggests the symbolic meaning of death. Both of these speculations on the shadow in this piece reflect well upon what Munch is known for symbolically portraying in his artwork. The female in Puberty had originally been thought to have been a model of Munch's while he was in Berlin. The strong detail used in the collar bones of her body suggests that he very well might have used a model. Either way this young lady is trapped in a space that alludes to much controversy within her mind and surroundings.