Critiquing a painting 批评一幅画

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to write a brochure about a museum.

NEW AGE ARTIST: Do you want to impress people with your profound understanding of art? If so ... learn how to critique. To critique a painting, all you have to do is remember these four simple steps—description, analysis, interpretation, judgment. Description. If you want people to think you're an expert, you have to at least know the basics of the painting.

NEW AGE ARTIST1: For the description, you should state the name of the work, the artist, the medium. Next, say what it looks like, but don't use opinion words like "beautiful" or "nice". You want to sound objective and intelligent. Colors, line, shape ... give an articulate description of everything you see. The painting is called "The Scream".

NEW AGE ARTIST2: It was created with tempera paint and pastel by the expressionist artist Edvard Munch. The subject is a single, solitary figure standing on a bridge, his hands raised to his face, his mouth is open, he stares directly at the viewer with a look of terror. Analysis. This is an important part of the critique. For the analysis, you should tell how the elements in the painting are organized, how they complement one another.

NEW AGE ARTIST3: Is there movement, variety, balance, contrast? What does the artist emphasize? The painting evokes such intense emotion because of two things: line and color. The wavy lines of the sky and the landscape contrast intensely with the straight lines of the bridge. The bold streaks of yellow and red stand out against the deep hues of blue and green.

NEW AGE ARTIST4: The strong diagonal of the bridge moving out towards the viewer, the rapid swirling motion of the landscape, and the wild colors all combine to create an image of chaos and anxiety. The motion and chaos of the colors and lines create an image of noise, emotion, panic. Interpretation. For the interpretation, you should describe what you think the artist was trying to say with the work. The subject, the terrified person, is alone on the bridge and consumed by panic and fear.

NEW AGE ARTIST5: The vastness of the sky and the bridge, which surround the person, give this painting a feeling of alienation and loneliness while at the same time conveying chaos and emotional intensity. Although it was painted in 1893, it makes me think of the stress and anxiety felt in the modern world. The author may be trying to express the idea of loneliness in a crazy, stressful, chaotic world. The man is totally alone ... and totally consumed by fear. Judgment.

NEW AGE ARTIST6: The last step in our critique is the judgment. This is when you say whether it is a success or failure in your opinion. This is your opportunity to really express your opinion of the painting. The painting evokes feelings of fear, loneliness, despair. I look at it and I am overwhelmed by this man's terror, his panic, the overwhelming feeling of stress and terror ... but also, his loneliness.

NEW AGE ARTIST7: I can feel what he's feeling ... although it is a frightening feeling, I admire the skill of the artist to evoke such an emotional response. I think the painting is fascinating to look at. Munch has successfully created a composition which conveys a universal emotion, a feeling that can be recognized and understood by all. I can almost hear that terrifying scream. And there you have it!

NEW AGE ARTIST8: Next time you're admiring art at a gallery or museum, just remember—description, analysis, interpretation, judgment. You'll wow your friends with your deep understanding of art ... and you might even enjoy yourself!