| dc.description.abstract | Edvard Munch (1863-1944) is the famous artist in Norway. He painted in oil, pastel, drawing and other media, and used photography and print, to express his creative concept, and he always conveys emotions in his works. The Frieze of Life sums up his lifetime thinking and creation, and also is his most important work. More than half of the series is devoted to female images and women are portrayed in many different roles, symbolizing their sexuality, emotions and so on. In this study, Munch’s paintings The Voice, Puberty, and The Three Stages of Woman are the main focus. Through the depiction of adolescent girls as well as multiple roles of women in The Three Stages of Woman, one can understand Munch’s complex attitude toward Munch women.
Chapter One mainly discusses Munch’s diary and biography, in order to understand his life experience, and to learn his views of the creation of The Frieze of Life. In Chapter Two I discuss The Voice and Puberty, pointing out the sexual awakening in adolescent girls in Munch’s imagery and the girls’ desire and fear to enter the next stage of life through the symbols. Chapter Three focuses on The Three Stages of Woman, also named Sphinx in 1894 Stockholm exhibition. This work belongs to the cycle Love. Compared with the traditional mythological works of the Sphinx, and the Three Fates, we can understand the meanings of The Three Stages of Woman. Finally, The Three Stages of Woman is compared with other pictures of the same subject of the late nineteenth century.
This study will explicate Munch’s relationships with and women, and his creative ideas of the female images in The Frieze of Life. The late nineteenth century saw different types of female images produced by many artists. It is important to compare the female images of The Frieze of Life with other contemporary works.
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