Leo Martínez
Edvard Munch's The Scream is an icon of modern art, with the agonized face in the painting becoming one of the most iconic images in art. Munch created four versions of the painting: two in paint and two in pastels, as well as a lithograph stone from which several prints survive. The first version was painted in 1893, and the painting has since been the target of several high-profile art thefts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Versions | 4 |
| Year of Completion | 1893, 1895, 1910 |
| Medium | Oil, Tempera, Pastel, Lithograph |
| Current Location | National Museum of Norway, Oslo, Munch Museum, Private Collection, MoMA |
| Notable Inscriptions | "Kan kun være malet af en gal Mand!" ("could only have been painted by a madman!") |
| Theft Attempts | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
- Munch created four versions: two paintings, two pastels, and a lithograph
- The first painting was completed in 1893 and is now in Oslo's National Museum of Norway
- The pastel versions were completed in 1893 and 1895, with the latter selling for a record $120 million in 2012
- The 1895 pastel-on-board version was sold at Sotheby's for $119,922,600
- The Scream has been the target of several high-profile thefts and theft attempts
Munch created four versions: two paintings, two pastels, and a lithograph
Edvard Munch created four versions of "The Scream": two paintings, two pastels, and a lithograph. The first version was completed in 1893, between Berlin, Germany, and Åsgårdstrand, Norway. This painting is currently held in the collection of the National Museum of Norway in Oslo. The second version, a pastel created in 1893, is also held in the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo. The third version, another pastel, was created in 1895 and sold at Sotheby's auction in 2012 for $119,922,600 to financier Leon Black. The fourth version is a lithograph created in 1895, two years after the first version was displayed. This lithograph is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
Munch's "The Scream" is considered an icon of modern art, with the agonized face in the painting becoming one of the most iconic images in art history. The painting is believed to have stemmed from a panic attack that Munch suffered in 1892, which he recounted artistically in a sketch from that year titled "Despair." In his diary entry from Nice, France, on January 22, 1892, Munch described the experience:
> "One evening I was walking along a path, the city was on one side and the fjord below. I felt tired and ill. I stopped and looked out over the fjord – the sun was setting, and the clouds turning blood red. I sensed a scream passing through nature; it seemed to me that I heard the scream. I painted this picture, painted the clouds as actual blood. The color shrieked."
The reddish sky in the background of "The Scream" has been the subject of various interpretations. One theory suggests that it was inspired by the effects of the powerful volcanic eruption of Krakatoa, which deeply tinted sunset skies red around the world for months in 1883 and 1884, about a decade before Munch painted "The Scream." Another explanation attributes the red skies to the presence of nacreous clouds, which occur at the latitude of Norway and bear a striking resemblance to those depicted in the painting.
"The Scream" has been the target of several high-profile art thefts and theft attempts. In 1994, the version held in the National Gallery of Oslo was stolen and recovered several months later. In 2004, armed gunmen broke into the Munch Museum in Oslo and stole another version of "The Scream," along with the artist's "Madonna." Both paintings were recovered two years later.
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The first painting was completed in 1893 and is now in Oslo's National Museum of Norway
Edvard Munch's The Scream is an icon of modern art. The painting has been widely interpreted as representing the universal anxiety of modern humanity. Munch created four versions, two in paint and two in pastels, as well as a lithograph stone from which several prints survive. The first version of the painting was completed in 1893 and is now in Oslo's National Museum of Norway. This painting was created using oil, tempera, and pastel on cardboard. It measures 73.5 x 91 cm.
The painting depicts an agonized face, which has become one of the most iconic images in art. The work is based on Munch's actual experience of a scream piercing through nature while on a walk. In his diary, Munch wrote:
> "One evening I was walking along a path, the city was on one side and the fjord below. I felt tired and ill. I stopped and looked out over the fjord – the sun was setting, and the clouds turning blood red. I sensed a scream passing through nature; it seemed to me that I heard the scream. I painted this picture, painted the clouds as actual blood. The colour shrieked."
Munch's work, including The Scream, had a formative influence on the Expressionist movement. The painting's flowing curves of art nouveau represent a subjective linear fusion imposed upon nature, whereby the multiplicity of particulars is unified into a totality of organic suggestion with feminine overtones. The central figure in the painting may be modelled on an Inca mummy that Munch saw in a Parisian museum.
The first version of The Scream has been the target of several high-profile art thefts. In 1994, the painting was stolen from Oslo's National Gallery and recovered several months later. It is now back in the collection of the National Museum of Norway in Oslo. This version of the painting includes a barely visible pencil inscription in the upper left corner, saying "Kan kun være malet af en gal Mand!" ("could only have been painted by a madman!").
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The pastel versions were completed in 1893 and 1895, with the latter selling for a record $120 million in 2012
Edvard Munch created four versions of "The Scream" in total: two paintings and two pastel drawings. The pastel versions were completed in 1893 and 1895, respectively. The 1893 pastel-on-paper version is currently on display at the Munch Museum in Oslo. The 1895 pastel-on-board version, on the other hand, was sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2012 for a record-breaking $120 million. This sale set a new record for the highest nominal price paid for a work of art at a public auction at the time.
Munch's "The Scream" is considered an icon of modern art, with its universal appeal and recognition. The painting has been interpreted as a representation of the anxiety and uncertainty of modern humanity. The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images in art history, symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition.
The inspiration for "The Scream" came from Munch's own experience of a panic attack in 1892, which he recounted in a sketch titled "Despair." In his diary entry from Nice, France, on January 22, 1892, Munch described the experience: "I was walking along the road with two friends—the sun went down—I felt a gust of melancholy—suddenly the sky turned a bloody red...I stood there trembling with anxiety—and I felt a vast infinite scream [tear] through nature." This experience of a scream piercing through nature while on a walk is reflected in the painting.
The pastel versions of "The Scream" are particularly notable for their use of vibrant colours and expressive lines, capturing the sense of anxiety and emotion that Munch intended to convey. The 1895 pastel version, which sold for $120 million, is now in a private collection, demonstrating the enduring value and significance of Munch's work in the art world.
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The 1895 pastel-on-board version was sold at Sotheby's for $119,922,600
Edvard Munch created four versions of "The Scream," two in paint and two in pastels, as well as a lithograph stone from which several prints survive. The 1895 pastel-on-board version of "The Scream" was sold at Sotheby's auction house in New York for a record price of $119,922,600 on May 2, 2012. This made it the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction at the time, surpassing the previous record held by Picasso's "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust," which sold for $106.5 million in 2010. The bidding for "The Scream" started at $40 million and lasted for over 12 minutes, with five eager bidders. The final offer was made by American businessman Leon Black over the phone.
"The Scream" is considered an icon of modern art and has been widely interpreted as representing the universal anxiety of modern humanity. The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images in art. Munch's work, including "The Scream," had a significant influence on the Expressionist movement. The inspiration for the painting came from Munch's own experience while out for a walk at sunset. He described seeing the clouds turn "blood red" and sensing an infinite scream passing through nature.
The 1895 pastel-on-board version of "The Scream" was owned by Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen before it was sold at Sotheby's. It is one of three versions of the painting now housed in Norwegian museums, while the one sold in 2012 was the only one remaining in private hands. This version is described by Sotheby's as "the most colorful and vibrant" of the four, and it includes Munch's hand-colouring of the frame and an inscribed poem detailing the picture's inspiration.
The sale of "The Scream" at Sotheby's in 2012 attracted excitement and media attention, with demonstrators outside the auction house protesting the company's lockout of art handlers. The auctioneer, Tobias Meyer, described the work as "worth every penny," calling it "one of the great icons of art in the world." The sale of "The Scream" also helped to draw interest and business from other high-profile collections, including the estate of Theodore J. Forstmann, a Manhattan financier who passed away in November of that year.
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The Scream has been the target of several high-profile thefts and theft attempts
Edvard Munch's iconic painting The Scream has been the target of several high-profile thefts and theft attempts. The painting's fame and value have made it a tempting target for art thieves, and its notoriety has only increased due to these incidents.
One of the earliest recorded thefts of The Scream occurred in 1994 when the version displayed in the National Gallery in Oslo was stolen. The thieves left a note thanking the museum for its "poor security." Fortunately, the painting was recovered a few months later in a sting operation conducted by Norwegian and British police. This version of The Scream had been painted in 1893 and is now part of the collection of the National Museum of Norway in Oslo.
In 2004, another notorious theft took place at the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. Armed robbers entered the museum and stole two paintings at gunpoint: The Scream and another Munch work, Madonna. This brazen heist caused a media sensation and sparked fears that the artworks had been damaged or destroyed. The paintings were eventually recovered two years later, and several suspects were arrested and convicted in connection with the theft.
The Scream has also been the target of other theft attempts and conspiracies. In 1996, four men, including Pål Enger, were convicted for the 1994 theft of The Scream from the National Gallery. Additionally, there have been speculations that the 2004 theft was commissioned or linked to mafia involvement, or even intended to divert police attention from another investigation, such as the murder of a Norwegian police officer.
The value and fame of The Scream have made it a tempting target for art thieves, and its notoriety has grown due to these incidents. The painting's recovery in the 1994 case and the eventual apprehension of the perpetrators in the 2004 heist demonstrate the resolve of law enforcement to protect and retrieve this iconic work of art. The Scream's complex history of thefts and conspiracies adds to its intrigue and secures its place as one of the most famous paintings in the world.
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Frequently asked questions
Four. Two were painted in 1893, one in 1895, and another likely in 1910.
The first version from 1893 is in the collection of the National Museum of Norway in Oslo. The second pastel version from 1893 is in the collection of the Munch Museum, also in Oslo. The third version from 1895 is in a private collection, and the fourth version from 1910 is at the Munch Museum in Oslo.
Edvard Munch created multiple versions of 'The Scream' as part of his semi-autobiographical cycle "The Frieze of Life".
