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Student Artwork Guide

Jealousy

Edvard Munch, 1907

Name Class Date
Edvard Munch, Jealousy (1907). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Edvard Munch artsdot.com/en/artists/edvard-munch/
Artist’s dates
1863 – 1944
Painted
1907
Medium
Oil On Canvas
Movement
Expressionism Colour and shape deliberately distorted so the picture shows an emotion rather than a likeness.
Artistic style
Psychological Expressionism
Influences
Romanticism, Symbolism
Notable elements or techniques
Symbolic use of color & distorted figures
Subject or theme
Emotional turmoil; Jealousy

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Edvard Munch died in 1944; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2014.

Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

Jealousy — Edvard Munch Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Jealousy — Edvard Munch

When was this painted?

  1. 1860
  2. 1870
  3. 1880
  4. 1890
  5. 1900
  6. 1910
  7. 1920
  8. 1930
  9. 1940

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 81 at death.

Painted when the artist was 44. The artist lived to 81. 293 of the 410 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Edvard Munch (1863–1944) ▲ this work, 1907 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1893 Main working years: 1893–1908 Late works: from 1908

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/edvard-munch-jealousy-6WHKCV-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Putty #dfd9d2

    Catalogued palette

    • #DFD9D2
    • #241F1E
    • #5B5141
    • #B89960

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Putty
    Intensity
    Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Softly Mixed Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Edvard Munch over the last twelve months — 87 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 24.4%
    2. 2 Spain 14.4%
    3. 3 France 8.7%
    4. 4 United States of America 5.9%
    5. 5 Singapore 4.2%
    6. 6 Hong Kong 4.1%
    7. 7 Italy 3.6%
    8. 8 Brazil 3.2%
    9. 9 Japan 2.4%
    10. 10 Germany 1.8%
    11. · 77 other countries 27.3%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Edvard Munch

    1. 1 The Scream, 1893 28.0%
    2. 2 Madonna, 1894 7.9%
    3. 3 Melancholy, 1894 6.7%
    4. 4 Near the bed of death (fever), 1915 2.0%
    5. 5 The Child and Death, 1899 1.8%
    6. 6 Kiss, 1897 1.3%
    7. 7 Ashes, 1894 1.1%
    8. 8 Girls on the Pier, 1904 1.0%
    9. 9 The Day After, 1895 0.9%
    10. 10 Christmas in the Brothel, 1905 0.9%
    11. 11 Jealousy, 1895 0.9%
    12. 12 The Girls on the Bridge, 1901 0.7%
    13. 13 The Dance of Life, 1899 0.7%
    14. 14 Madonna, 1894 0.7%
    15. 15 Self-Portrait, 1895 0.6%
    16. 16 Man and Woman I, 1905 0.5%
    17. 17 Jealousy, 1907 this painting 0.5%
    18. 18 To the Forest, 1897 0.5%
    19. 19 Cree (casein on cardboard) 2, 1893 0.5%
    20. 20 The Sick Child - painted version - 1926 0.5%

    Together these works take 57.7% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 629 works by this artist, of which 473 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 17 of them, with 0.5% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch Part 2 · In context

    About this artwork

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch

    Jealousy: A Descent into Emotional Turmoil

    Edvard Munch, a titan of modern art, continues to captivate audiences with his unsettling visions and masterful exploration of human psychology. Among his most poignant creations is “Jealousy,” painted in 1907 – an oil on canvas masterpiece that embodies the core tenets of Expressionism and serves as a chilling testament to the corrosive power of emotion.

    Subject Matter: The painting depicts three figures—two men and one woman—engaged in a fraught interaction. Munch meticulously captures the palpable tension between them, conveying the suffocating atmosphere of suspicion and unspoken desire.

    Composition & Style: Munch’s deliberate compositional choices amplify the emotional impact. The central woman dominates the frame, her mouth agape in a dramatic gesture indicative of rage or despair, while the man on the left wears a bow tie—a symbol of formality and perhaps repressed emotion—and the man on the right stares off into the distance, hinting at detachment and preoccupation.

    Technique: Munch employed bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors – predominantly reds and yellows – to express inner turmoil rather than objective reality. The textured surface of the canvas contributes to the painting’s visceral quality, mirroring the turbulent emotions depicted within.

    Expressionism's Emotional Landscape

    “Jealousy” exemplifies Expressionist principles championed by Munch himself and fellow artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Emil Nolde. Unlike Impressionists who sought to capture fleeting moments of light and color, Expressionists prioritized conveying subjective feelings—fear, anxiety, grief—above all else. Munch’s artistic vision was profoundly influenced by personal experiences of loss and illness, mirroring the pervasive sense of dread that characterized his life.

    Symbolism: The colors employed – particularly the fiery reds – are laden with symbolic significance, representing passion, anger, and danger. The woman’s gesture embodies frustration and vulnerability, while the man's gaze speaks to a profound disconnection from the emotional drama unfolding before him.

    Historical Context: Created during a period of intellectual ferment—marked by Nietzsche’s exploration of nihilism and existential angst— “Jealousy” resonates with broader philosophical concerns about human nature and the struggle for meaning in a chaotic world.

    A Legacy of Psychological Depth

    "Jealousy" remains remarkably relevant today, prompting contemplation on themes of insecurity, desire, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Its enduring power stems from Munch’s ability to distill profound emotional experience into a single image—a haunting portrayal of psychological vulnerability that continues to inspire artists and viewers alike.

    Relevance to Modern Thought: The painting's exploration of inner turmoil aligns with contemporary discussions about mental health and the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths.

    Further Exploration: For a deeper understanding of Munch’s artistic philosophy and his broader contribution to Expressionism, consider visiting Edvard Munch at AllPaintingsStore.com or delving into Nietzsche's philosophical ideas on Wikipedia.

    Experience the emotional intensity of “Jealousy” through a stunning hand-painted reproduction – available exclusively at AllPaintingsStore.com.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch Part 3 · About this artwork

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Edvard Munch

    Born in Adelsbruk, Sweden

    A Life Shaped by Loss

    Edvard Munch arrived in the world in 1863, born into the stark landscapes of Norway. His early years were defined by a heavy presence of grief that would later find its way onto his canvases. The deaths of his mother and his sister, Sophie, both taken by tuberculosis, left a deep mark on his young mind. These losses created a preoccupation with mortality and the fragility of life that stayed with him forever. He grew up in a household where the shadows of sickness were never far away.

    His father, Christian, was a physician who struggled with intense religious devotion and mental instability. This atmosphere of dread and the vivid ghost stories told in his childhood helped shape his later visions. Munch did not merely paint what he saw; he sought to externalize his internal state. He called this approach soul painting. It was a way to translate psychological distress into visual form, using the colors and shapes of his own experience.

    The Path to Expressionism

    Munch began his formal studies at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania, which is now known as Oslo. During this time, he moved within bohemian circles that challenged the strict rules of academic art. A significant influence was Hans Jæger, a nihilist who encouraged Munch to abandon conventional styles and instead focus on his own subjective emotions. This shift led him toward the development of Expressionism.

    Travels through Europe brought new perspectives to his work. In Paris, he encountered the techniques of artists like Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh, particularly their use of color. In Berlin, his connections with figures such as August Strindberg further pushed his investigations into psychological themes. He began to move away from naturalistic representation, opting instead for distorted forms and rhythmic lines that could communicate the tremors of human existence.

    Themes and Lasting Impact

    Much of his work belongs to a series he called The Frieze of Life, where he explored the recurring cycles of love, fear, death, and anxiety. Some of his most recognized paintings include:

    The Scream: A work from 1893 that uses swirling, fiery landscapes to represent existential dread.

    Madonna: A piece that explores themes of sexuality and mortality.

    The Sick Child: A poignant reminder of the loss of his sister.

    Puberty: An exploration of the physical and psychological changes of youth.

    Munch was a highly active printmaker, using techniques like etching, lithography, and woodcut to expand his reach. He possessed over one thousand paintings at the time of his death in 1944. His ability to confront the darker aspects of the human condition helped pave the way for later movements like German Expressionism. Today, much of his legacy is preserved in the Munch Museum in Oslo, where his work continues to speak to the complexities of the human psyche.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Jealousy

    artsdot.com/en/art/download/edvard-munch-jealousy-6WHKCV-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Munch, Edvard. Jealousy. 1907, https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-jealousy-6WHKCV-en/
    APA
    Munch, Edvard (1907). Jealousy [Painting]. https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-jealousy-6WHKCV-en/
    Chicago
    Edvard Munch. Jealousy. 1907. https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-jealousy-6WHKCV-en/
    Harvard
    Munch, Edvard (1907) Jealousy. Available at: https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-jealousy-6WHKCV-en/

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch Part 4 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: emotion, anxiety, relationships. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at The Scream (1893), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Expressionism: Colour and shape deliberately distorted so the picture shows an emotion rather than a likeness. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch Part 5 · Look closely

    Art quiz

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch

    How well do you know this artwork?

    Tick one answer for each of the 5 questions below. Each has exactly one correct answer.

    1. 1. What artistic movement is Edvard Munch’s ‘Jealousy’ primarily associated with?

      • A Romanticism
      • B Impressionism
      • C Expressionism

    2. 2. The painting depicts three figures: two men and one woman. What is the woman in the middle doing?

      • A She is calmly observing the scene.
      • B She appears to be speaking or yelling with a dramatic gesture.
      • C She is sketching in her notebook.

    3. 3. What color palette does Munch utilize in ‘Jealousy’ to convey emotion?

      • A Pale pastel shades
      • B Bright, vibrant hues
      • C Monochromatic grayscale

    4. 4. Edvard Munch's personal life experiences significantly influenced his artistic style. Which of the following best describes a key factor?

      • A His upbringing in a wealthy family.
      • B Early deaths of loved ones and fears surrounding mental illness.
      • C A lifelong passion for classical music.

    5. 5. ‘Jealousy’ resonates with philosophical ideas of the time, particularly Nietzsche's concept of ‘the will to power.’ How does this connection reflect?

      • A It emphasizes rational thought and logical reasoning.
      • B It explores themes of struggle, ambition, and overcoming obstacles.
      • C It celebrates beauty and harmony in nature.

    My score: ____ out of 5

    Answer key — for the teacher

    This starts a fresh printed page, so it can simply be left out of the copies.

    1C · 2B · 3B · 4B · 5B

    Check any answer against the catalogue record for this painting

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Jealousy — Edvard Munch Part 6 · Art quiz

    Questions & Answers

    What style does "Jealousy" belong to?

    "Jealousy" by Edvard Munch belongs to the Expressionism movement. This movement provides the stylistic context of the work.

    What is the overall mood of "Jealousy" by Edvard Munch?

    The overall mood of "Jealousy" by Edvard Munch is dramatic. The mood describes the general atmosphere of the work.

    Where is "Jealousy" suggested to be displayed, considering its palette?

    With its earthy palette, "Jealousy" by Edvard Munch is recommended for a living room. The colors are part of the reason for this suggestion.