The Old Fisherman
1984
Edvard Munch, the mastermind behind the famous screaming face of existential dread, brought that same raw intensity to woodcut printing. In this striking portrait, he uses bold, vertical gouges that look like driving rain or rough timber to carve out the weathered, haunted face of an old fisherman. The stark black-and-white contrast makes the man's intense, almost skeletal stare pop right out at you, capturing a mood of deep melancholy. Munch was actually a pioneer in this medium, often painting directly onto the woodblock to create unique, painterly variations of his prints rather than just making identical copies.
- Technique
- Woodcut