Mendoza's First Trip Yale Art Gallery

 Leesandra Mendoza

 The Museum Experience

Professor Nevins 

First Trip Yale Art Gallery

On my first trip, I went to the Yale art gallery in New Haven, Connecticut. On this trip, I specifically focused on the traveling exhibit “ Munch and Kirchner: Anxiety and Expression” (February 16, 2024- June 23, 2024). It’s always interesting to see what the gallery has a display for the traveling exhibits this one very much as well as the rest due to my enjoyment of Munch’s art work. This exhibit themes on anxiety and expression specifically in woman, love, death, and within the self where occurring in many of the pieces.

One of the two pieces that I was very excited to see in this exhibit was Munch’s Two Women on the Shore print. The print was created in 1898 with this being specifically done in 1906. The medium was “woodcut printed in black, orchid, green, and dark blue as well as hand colored in green crayon or colored pencil.” This piece was done as a part of a series, focusing on themes of separation, love, and existential angst. The piece itself features two women one being an older woman in black and the other a young maiden in white. At first Glenn looking at this piece without thinking of the original it seems like two women who are standing on almost a cliff. I do so it’s not a cliff due to one of the green outstretch peninsulas not having anything underneath it to support this theory. With the knowledge of the original painting, The ground  is done in a sandy color indicating that they are on the beach and the blue is the shore. The older woman dressed in black is facing towards the woman in white but not quite looking at her. As the woman in white is facing the sea itself. My interpretation of this painting, rest in the themes of separation, isolation and loneliness specifically that follows Munch’s themes through his series. Both women seem almost as if they lost in their own thought not really looking at each other nor having any physical connection. I also take the colors that Munch used in his work As the separation of the old and the young. Maiden in white, looking out to the outstretched ocean and the older maiden in black looking in the direction of the younger maiden. 

The next piece that I truly enjoyed was Edvard Munch's Madonna ca.1895 on oil on canvas. This piece was placed in the specific "Women/Love/Death and Anxiety" section of the exhibit. 

This piece depicts, a young woman with long black hair going down her shoulders, her eyes are closed and her head is tilted upwards, With her right hand behind her head and her left hand behind her back as she is fully nude from what is shown. In the background of the piece are wavy lines thinly surrounding her. The wavy lines in the background seem to be dulled out, red and blues. I sure should’ve originally analyze this piece as more of a sexual nature to it before looking at the name of this piece. The word madonna has two meanings to it. The first one is the idealized virtues of a woman. The second meaning when it comes to Madonna refers back to the Virgin Mary. I interpret the piece using both meanings. With the first look, there is an idealized version what a woman looks like. She split out on the big piece of canvas hair long and passed her shoulders. Her new body visible to the audience with her hands behind her, showing an openness one that wants to walk closer. Unlike if she had her hands covering herself up. Where I see the second Meaning of this piece pulls through on one specific detail, the halo. Although it’s not confirmed, it is halo. The orange red circle behind her head mimics that of a halo. 

Here are some more piece from the exhibit 

Edvard Munch, Weeping Woman 

1930, Lithographic crayon

Edvard Munch, Dr. Daniel Jacobson 

1908–1909, Lithographic