Isabella Flores
Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” is one of the world’s most famous paintings, but for years a tiny inscription in the top left corner of the painting has puzzled scholars. The text, “Could only have been painted by a madman,” is barely visible and was thought to be an act of vandalism. However, new infrared photography and analysis by experts at the National Museum of Norway suggest that the text was indeed written by Munch himself, revealing the artist's state of mind and his willingness to experiment with his work.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Edvard Munch |
| Painting | The Scream |
| Year | 1893 |
| Inscription | Could only have been painted by a madman |
| Inscription Language | Norwegian |
| Inscription Medium | Pencil |
| Inscription Location | Top left corner of the painting |
| Inscription Legibility | Barely visible to the naked eye |
| Infrared Photography Use | Yes |
| Inscription Authorship | Attributed to Munch, the artist himself |
| Reason for Inscription | Response to criticism and addressing his inner turmoil |
| Exhibition | First exhibited in 1895 at Blomqvist gallery in Oslo |
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What You'll Learn
The Scream by Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch's "The Scream" is a seminal work of art that has captivated and haunted audiences for over a century. With its
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Infrared photography
In recent times, infrared photography has become more accessible with modern cameras and filters. It is no longer restricted to specialised film and can be achieved through digital infrared photography, camera conversion, or the use of IR filters attached directly to the lens. These advancements have opened up artistic possibilities, allowing photographers to explore surreal and dreamlike scenes, especially in landscape and portrait photography.
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The artist's mental state
Edvard Munch's "The Scream" is one of the world's most famous paintings, but for over a century, art historians have overlooked a tiny inscription in the top left corner, written in pencil, reading: "Could only have been painted by a madman". Infrared photography has recently been used to make the writing more legible, revealing that the text was indeed written by Munch himself.
Munch was deeply hurt by the public response to "The Scream", and wrote about it extensively in his diaries. The artist's father and sister suffered from depression, and Munch himself was hospitalized for a nervous breakdown in 1908. It is thought that Munch added the "madman" line as a bitter rejoinder to criticisms of his work and his own inner demons. Mai Britt Guleng, curator of Old Masters and modern paintings at the National Museum of Norway in Oslo, believes that Munch's inscription was an act of taking control: "It was very important for him to take control of his own self-understanding and also how others understood him. This was maybe an act of taking control because others had said that he was mad, but saying, 'I can make a joke about that.'".
Guleng also suggests that Munch's inscription reveals his experimental attitude towards his work and his willingness to take risks. "I think it tells us a lot about [his] experimental attitude to making works of art, because he could have said he didn’t want to harm it, but all his life he wanted to experiment with the surface," she said.
The inscription was likely added in 1895, two years after the painting was completed, following an exhibition of new work by Munch at the Blomqvist gallery in Oslo. During a debate about the exhibition at the University of Oslo’s Students Association, a medical student, Johan Scharffenberg, questioned the artist’s mental state, calling Munch abnormal and a “madman”. Munch was deeply affected by this criticism, and it is believed that he added the inscription to the painting shortly after.
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The artist's intent
Edvard Munch's "The Scream" is one of the world's most famous paintings, but for over a century, art historians have overlooked a tiny inscription in the top left corner, written in pencil, reading: "Could only have been painted by a madman". Infrared photographs of the painting have recently revealed that the text was indeed written by Munch himself, most likely in 1895, after his exhibition at the Blomqvist gallery in Oslo.
Munch, who was deeply hurt by the public response to the painting, wrote extensively in his diaries about the criticism he received. It is believed that he added the "madman" inscription as a bitter response to the negative reviews and personal attacks on his mental state. Both Munch's father and sister suffered from depression, and the artist himself was hospitalized for a nervous breakdown in 1908, indicating that he may have been struggling with his own inner demons.
The curator of Old Masters and modern paintings at the National Museum of Norway, Mai Britt Guleng, supports this interpretation. She suggests that Munch added the inscription as a way to address criticisms and take control of how others perceived him. Additionally, Guleng believes that Munch's willingness to experiment with his work, even after it was completed, is evident in the markings he made on the painting's surface.
The inscription also sheds light on Munch's state of mind and his attitude towards his work. By making a joke about his own mental health, Munch demonstrated his ability to confront and perhaps even embrace the idea of madness. This interpretation adds a new layer of complexity to the painting, which has become synonymous with existential angst and the human condition.
In conclusion, Munch's intent behind the "madman" inscription was likely multifaceted. It served as a response to personal criticisms, a means to take control of his public image, and perhaps even a form of self-reflection or acceptance. The inscription provides valuable insight into the artist's state of mind and adds a new dimension to the already intriguing story behind "The Scream".
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The public's response
Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” is one of the world's most famous paintings. The painting has intrigued the art world for over a century and become synonymous with existential angst.
In 2021, new research revealed that Munch himself had added a tiny inscription in the top left corner of the painting, which read, “Can only have been painted by a madman”. This was in response to the negative reviews of his exhibition at Blomqvist Kunsthandel (Blomquist Art Gallery) in Kristiania (later Oslo).
The public response to Munch's exhibition and, in particular, "The Scream" was not positive. During a debate at the University of Oslo’s Students Association, a medical student, Johan Scharffenberg, questioned the artist’s mental state, going so far as to call Munch abnormal and a “madman”. Munch, who had a family history of mental illness, was deeply hurt by the response and wrote about it extensively in his diaries.
The inscription, which was originally thought to be an act of vandalism, is now seen as Munch's way of taking control of how others perceived him and his work. Mai Britt Guleng, the curator of Old Masters and modern paintings at the National Museum of Norway in Oslo, said that the inscription had mostly been ignored compared to other elements of the painting. She also believed that Munch's willingness to experiment with his work, including the surfaces of his paintings, was evident in his decision to add the inscription.
In conclusion, the public response to Munch's exhibition and "The Scream" was negative and hurtful to the artist, leading him to inscribe the now-famous words on his painting. The inscription has since been interpreted as Munch's way of reclaiming his power and making a joke about his critics' comments.
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Frequently asked questions
The phrase is believed to have been inscribed by Edvard Munch on his painting "The Scream". The inscription was added by Munch in 1895, after his exhibition of new work at the Blomqvist gallery in Oslo. During a debate about the exhibition, a medical student, Johan Scharffenberg, questioned the artist's mental state, calling Munch abnormal and a "madman". Munch was deeply hurt by the comments and is thought to have added the "madman" line as a bitter rejoinder.
Mai Britt Guleng, the curator of Old Masters and modern paintings at the National Museum of Norway in Oslo, believes that Munch added the inscription to address criticisms of his work and his own inner demons. She said, "It was very important for him to take control of his own self-understanding and also how others understood him. This was maybe an act of taking control because others had said that he was mad, but saying, 'I can make a joke about that.'"
The inscription was always visible to the naked eye but was difficult to interpret. Infrared photographs were taken as part of conservation work on the painting, making the writing stand out more clearly from the painted background.
The inscription adds a new layer to the story of "The Scream", which is already one of the world's most famous and researched paintings. It provides insight into Munch's state of mind and his experimental attitude towards his work.
