plate no. 8385

Mother and Daughter

oil, canvasExpressionismgenre paintingfigureslandscapemoontreesclothingbuilding

what to study here

It shows how value grouping, visible directional brushwork and a restrained palette can carry psychological tension without detailed rendering of faces or setting.

Study how this painting builds tension from three large masses and a handful of earthy colors. Squint and the picture reduces to a bright standing figure on the left, a black crouched figure on the right, and a dark cliff landscape behind them. The cream dress is the lightest mass, the black garment and cliff shadows are the darkest, and the moon is a smaller secondary light. Mid-tones are scarce, which gives the arrangement its closed-in feeling. Look at the cliffs. They are not rendered as rock but as slashing vertical and diagonal strokes in ultramarine, black and rust-orange, so the ground behind the figures looks agitated. Compare that with the soft edges where the figures meet the landscape, and with the faces, which are simplified with little refinement. The cool lavender sky sits against the warm cream dress, so temperature as well as value separates the figures from the setting. Copy the handling before the colors: keep the marks visible, keep the faces minimal, and let the landscape carry as much emotion as the figures.

key decision

Munch reduces the picture to three dominant masses: a bright figure, a black figure and a dark, slashed landscape. He keeps mid-tones minimal so the white dress reads as the single light anchor.

From the record

Dimensions: 135 cm high × 163 cm wide
Institution: National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
Location: National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
Inception: 1897
Materials: oil paint, canvas

mother
daughter

Wikidata item Q18890533

recreation guide

Edvard Munch’s 'Mother and Daughter' (1897) is a genre painting that reflects the artist’s transition toward Expressionism, characterized by the depiction of everyday life infused with psychological depth. Consistent with Munch’s practice influenced by the Kristiania Bohème and figures like Hans Jæger, the work likely aims to paint the 'emotional and psychological state' rather than a strict realist depiction (Source 5). As a genre painting, it portrays ordinary people in common activities, potentially using familiar subjects to evoke sentiment or moral themes, a tradition dominant in Dutch and Flemish art but adapted here by Munch’s modern sensibilities (Source 2, Source 4). The artwork’s distinctive quality lies in its use of color to convey atmosphere and inner feeling, a technique Munch refined after studying Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh in Paris (Source 5).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions, allowing for drying times between glaze layers

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, Black, White, Red, Yellow)	Primary pigments for grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing	—
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure transparency and flow	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and depth	Dammar varnish or modern painting medium
Canvas	Support for the oil painting	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Brushes (various sizes)	For applying grisaille, glazing, and scumbling	—

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. Munch’s practice does not specify unique ground preparations in the provided sources, but the technique described relies on a dry underlayer for glazing. Ensure the surface is smooth enough to allow for transparent glazes to reveal the underlying monochrome structure (Source 1).

underdrawing

Munch’s specific underdrawing methods for this work are not detailed in the sources. However, as a 'sound craftsman' who values the 'alphabet of our art,' a precise initial drawing is implied to establish the composition before applying the monochrome underpainting (Source 3). Use charcoal or thinned oil to sketch the figures, focusing on the broad masses rather than fine details, as the final effect relies on color layers.

underpainting

Create a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure of the painting. The grisaille should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. This method is supported by Sir Joshua Reynolds’ technique cited in the sources, which Munch’s era would have recognized as a foundational practice for old masters (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Grisaille underpainting to establish cool tones and shadows

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Grisaille underpainting for deep shadows and contrast

White

Titanium or lead white

Grisaille underpainting for highlights and mid-tones

Red

Vermilion or cadmium red

Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and flesh tones, extracted mentally from the grisaille

Yellow

Yellow ochre or cadmium yellow

Glazing and scumbling to add light and warmth, extracted mentally from the grisaille

composition

As a genre painting, the composition likely features figures engaged in common activities without specific individual identity, focusing on the 'reality effect' of everyday life (Source 2, Source 4). Munch’s approach, influenced by his 'soul painting' philosophy, would prioritize the emotional atmosphere over strict realism. The arrangement of figures should facilitate the interplay of colors, particularly the complementary contrasts that enhance the psychological impact (Source 5, Source 6).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the composition of the mother and daughter on the canvas, focusing on broad masses and avoiding overly detailed outlines.
Tip — Ensure the figures are positioned to allow for effective color contrast later.
Broad mass drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Mentally extract red and yellow tones to establish the tonal structure.
Tip — Allow the grisaille to dry completely before proceeding to glazing.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with oil, applying red and yellow tones as they occur in the composition. Treat this like tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Use transparent coats of color (glazing) and semi-opaque layers (scumbling) to build up depth.
Glazing and Scumbling

refining

step 04
As mastery increases, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glazing layers. This enhances the transparency and richness of the colors.
Tip — Be cautious of overworking; the underlying grisaille should still be felt through the layers.
Varnish Glazing

finishing

step 05
Adjust the color harmony by considering simultaneous contrast. Ensure that adjacent colors enhance each other’s intensity, particularly using complementary pairs if applicable.
Tip — Observe how the eye perceives colors in relation to their neighbors, adjusting tones to avoid fatigue and maintain clarity.
Simultaneous Contrast

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish layer to protect the painting and unify the surface sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing to prevent cracking or cloudiness.
Final Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity. This method was practiced by old masters and is essential for achieving the rich color effects in Munch’s work.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create a grey bloom or coldness, allowing the underlying painting to show through. This adds texture and complexity to the surface.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. This principle helps in harmonizing the composition and enhancing the emotional impact of the colors.

common pitfalls

→Overworking the glazes: Applying too many layers can muddy the colors and obscure the underlying grisaille structure.
→Ignoring drying times: Glazing requires the underlayer to be completely dry; otherwise, the colors may mix unintentionally.
→Neglecting color contrast: Failing to consider simultaneous contrast can result in a flat or visually fatiguing composition.
→Over-modeling: Being too tied to outlines or details can detract from the expressive, atmospheric quality characteristic of Munch’s style.

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of 'Mother and Daughter' (e.g., exact clothing patterns, facial expressions) are not described in the sources, so the recreation must rely on general genre painting conventions and Munch’s stylistic tendencies.
·Munch’s exact pigment choices for this specific work are not detailed, so the palette is inferred from general practices and the described glazing technique.
·The precise composition and layout of the figures are not provided, requiring the artist to interpret the genre painting tradition and Munch’s emotional focus.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Approach to craftsmanship and underdrawing
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315. As to the advantages the painter will find in it when it is — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- Genre painting — part 1 — applied to Understanding the genre and subject matter
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — part 11 — applied to Context for genre painting conventions
Wikipedia bio — Edvard Munch↗
- Edvard Munch — part 1 — applied to Artist’s style, influences, and emotional focus

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A woman in pale cream-white stands rigidly on the left, facing forward with an unsettling gaze, while a woman in deep black crouches or sits hunched on the right. A luminous yellow moon anchors the upper-center background, casting cool lavender light across a landscape dominated by dark, fractured cliff forms. The cliffs behind them surge upward with violent diagonal and vertical brushstrokes in deep ultramarine, black, and warm rust-orange tones. The composition creates psychological tension through the stark value contrast between the isolated white figure and the shadowy mourning figure against a convulsive landscape.

value structure

Extreme value separation: the white dress reads as the brightest light mass against a predominantly dark composition. The deep black garment of the right figure anchors the darkest darks, as do the cliff masses. The moon provides a secondary light accent. Mid-tones are limited to the shadowed sky, faces, and landscape texture. Squinting reveals three dominant masses: bright figure left, dark figure right, and dark landscape dominating the background—a deliberate, almost claustrophobic arrangement.

observed palette and mixes

#efd6af
titanium white + yellow ochre + trace ultramarine for shadow
standing figure's dress, primary light mass
#e8d89d
titanium white + yellow ochre
moon, sky highlights
#8b7ba8
ultramarine blue + titanium white
cool lavender sky
#1a0f09
ivory black + ultramarine blue
crouching figure's garment, deepest cliff shadows
#6b4423
yellow ochre + ivory black + ultramarine
warm rust striations in cliffs
#c7956f
yellow ochre + ivory black + titanium white + touch red
faces, flesh tones

edges and brushwork

The brushwork is decidedly expressive and loose—edges are soft throughout, especially where figures meet the landscape. The landscape dominates with urgent, directional slashing strokes; vertical striations in the cliffs are suggested through rhythmic parallel marks rather than precise rendering. The dress shows visible, descriptive brushstrokes that suggest form and fabric without fussy detail. Faces are simplified with minimal refinement, heightening psychological impact. Nowhere does the surface smooth into realism; the paint itself remains visible and emotionally charged.

a working sequence

01
Sky and moon foundation
Establish a loose wash of ultramarine blue + white across the upper canvas, cooler and more lavender toward the figure's head level. Locate and block in the moon as a simple pale yellow-cream circle slightly above center-right. Leave the sky soft and undefined; precision will mask the emotional atmosphere.
02
Dark landscape masses
With decisive, directional strokes, block in the cliff forms using deep ultramarine + ivory black. Establish the dominant vertical and diagonal movement—these are not realistic geological forms but emotional vectors. The cliffs should feel turbulent and compressed around the figures.
03
Figure placement and silhouettes
Rough in both figures as simple silhouettes against the landscape. The standing figure (left) in pale cream, the crouching/seated figure (right) in deep black. Establish their proportional relationship and spatial tension—they are separate, not touching, despite physical proximity.
04
Build the white dress
Develop the standing figure's pale dress with titanium white + yellow ochre, warmer in lit areas, cooler where it meets shadow. Add subtle warm shadows (ochre + hint of ultramarine) along the right edge and beneath the arms to suggest form. The dress should feel present and glowing against the dark landscape, but not stark—Munch keeps it within his warm, muted palette.
05
Deepen the dark figure
Build the black-clad figure's garment with layered strokes of ivory black + ultramarine, darkest where form turns away. Suggest the hunched posture and the weight of the fabric with loose but intentional mark-making. Keep edges soft against the landscape to maintain the emotional melting quality.
06
Faces and psychological presence
Add simplified faces to both figures using pale ochre + white + touch of red. The standing figure's gaze is direct but hollow; minimize detail in the features. The seated figure's face is more shadowed and withdrawn. These need not be realistic—Munch's economy of means intensifies rather than diminishes psychological power.
07
Landscape texture and rhythm
Return to the cliffs with vertical striations in warm rust-orange (yellow ochre + black + red) against the deep cool shadows. Use directional, slashing strokes to create a sense of agitation and movement. The landscape should read as unstable, echoing the psychological tension of the figures.
08
Integration and emotional emphasis
Soften edges throughout, especially between figures and background. Enhance the value contrast around the white dress so it reads as the emotional anchor. Check that the overall mood is one of isolation and melancholy—not through detail, but through color temperature, value distribution, and the energy of the brushwork itself.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Overblending or smoothing the brushwork—the visible, expressive mark-making is essential; too much refinement will neutralize the emotional charge and make the painting feel saccharine rather than unsettling.
Rendering the faces with too much anatomical accuracy—Munch's simplification (hollow eyes, minimal features) is what creates the psychological intensity; realistic portraiture will contradict the work's intent.
Making the white dress too pure or too isolated—it must feel integrated into the warm, muted overall palette and should read as solid rather than floating; shadow and warmth anchor it.
Neglecting the landscape's role as an emotional force—the cliffs and striations are not background; they're visual metaphors for the psychological state. Underplaying them by treating them as mere setting will flatten the composition.
Losing the directional energy of the brushstrokes by treating the landscape as finished detail—the slashing, vertical marks are about emotional rhythm, not naturalistic representation.

measured difficulty