Leo Martínez
Edvard Munch's The Scream is one of the world's most famous artworks. The agonised face depicted in the painting has become one of the most iconic images in art, seen as symbolising the anxiety of the human condition. Munch created four colourful versions of The Scream: two paintings with tempera, and two drawings with pastel and crayon. There are also a number of prints, with around 30 impressions of the artwork in total. The Scream has been the target of several thefts and theft attempts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Versions | 4 colourful versions, including 2 paintings with tempera and 2 drawings with pastel and crayon. There are also 2 versions in paint, 2 in pastels, and a lithograph stone from which several prints survive. |
| Owner/Location | 2 of the versions remained in the artist's possession and are now in the MUNCH collection. One is part of Norway's National Museum's collection and one is privately owned. One version was previously held by the National Gallery, Oslo, but was stolen in 1994. |
| Medium | Tempera, oils, and pastel. |
| Date | The first version was displayed in 1893. |
| Auction Price | One pastel version sold for £74 million at a Sotheby's auction in 2012. |
| Inscription | One version has a pencil inscription in the upper left corner saying, "Kan kun være malet af en gal Mand!" ("could only have been painted by a madman!") |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- There are four colourful versions: two paintings with tempera, and two drawings with pastel and crayon
- The Scream has been reproduced in photo and print form
- The Scream has been the target of several thefts and theft attempts
- Edvard Munch created a lithograph of The Scream
- The Scream is an icon of modern art
There are four colourful versions: two paintings with tempera, and two drawings with pastel and crayon
Edvard Munch's The Scream is one of the world's most famous artworks. Munch created four colourful versions: two paintings with tempera, and two drawings with pastel and crayon. Two of these artworks remained in his possession and are now part of the MUNCH collection. The other two versions are held by Norway's National Museum and a private owner.
Munch created The Scream in response to a personal experience. In his diary, he 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. This became The Scream."
Munch's work, including The Scream, had a significant influence on the Expressionist movement. The painting's agonized face has become one of the most iconic images in art, seen as a symbol of human anxiety.
The Scream has been the target of several theft attempts. In 1994, two men stole the version held by the National Gallery in Oslo, leaving a note reading, "Thanks for the poor security". The painting was later recovered, and four men were convicted in connection with the theft.
Painting a Festive Red Truck: A Christmas Tree Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Scream has been reproduced in photo and print form
Edvard Munch's The Scream is one of the world's most famous artworks. There are several versions of The Scream, and the image continues to be reproduced in new formats. Before painting his first version, Munch wrote a text about the motif and made a sketch titled Despair. The Scream has been reproduced in photo and print form, with the printed versions being central to establishing Munch's international reputation as an artist.
Munch created four colourful versions of The Scream: two paintings with tempera and two drawings with pastel and crayon. He also created a lithograph, from which several prints survive. The lithograph stone was resurfaced after approximately 50 prints were made. There are estimated to be around 30 lithograph impressions of The Scream, six of which are in the museum's collection, including one that was hand-coloured by Munch.
The Scream has been the target of several theft attempts. In 1994, two men stole the version of The Scream on display at the National Gallery in Oslo. The painting was recovered undamaged, and four men were convicted in connection with the theft. In 2004, the 1910 version of The Scream was stolen from the Munch Museum during daylight hours by masked gunmen.
The Scream has inspired artists and popular culture, with reproductions and interpretations continuing to be made. British artist Peter Brookes used the image as the basis for a drawing published in The Times in 2017. The Scream has also inspired memes on social media and Halloween masks.
Dispose of Paint Buckets the Right Way
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$12.99
The Scream has been the target of several thefts and theft attempts
Edvard Munch's The Scream is one of the world's most famous artworks. It has been the target of several thefts and theft attempts, perhaps due to its immense value. The Scream has been sold at auction for enormous sums, with a pastel version commanding the highest nominal price ever paid for an artwork at a public auction in 2012.
The painting has been stolen at least twice. On 12 February 1994, two men broke into the National Gallery in Oslo and stole its version of The Scream, leaving a note reading "Thanks for the poor security". The painting was recovered undamaged in May 1994, and four men were convicted in connection with the theft in January 1996.
The Scream was stolen again on 22 August 2004, during daylight hours, when masked gunmen entered the Munch Museum. This version of the painting has not been recovered, and the thieves remain at large.
In addition to these thefts, The Scream has been the target of several theft attempts. Its iconic status and valuable nature likely make it an attractive target for art thieves. The painting is considered an expressionistic construction based on Munch's actual experience of a scream piercing through nature while on a walk. The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images in art, seen as symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition.
Munch created four colourful versions of The Scream: two paintings with tempera and two drawings with pastel and crayon. Two of these remained in his possession, and the other two have been held by the National Museum of Norway and a private owner. There are also several lithograph prints of The Scream, with around 30 impressions of the artwork known to exist. The popularity and value of The Scream have made it a target for thieves, and its iconic status ensures that it remains a part of popular culture, influencing art, film, and social media.
Signs Your Paint Has Gone Bad
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Edvard Munch created a lithograph of The Scream
Edvard Munch created The Scream, one of the world's most famous pieces of art. The Scream is an autobiographical work, inspired by a walk Munch took with two friends in 1892. As the sun was setting, the clouds turned blood red, and Munch sensed an "infinite scream passing through nature". This experience formed the basis of The Scream.
Munch produced four colourful versions of The Scream: two paintings with tempera and two drawings with pastel and crayon. Two of these artworks remained in his possession and are now in the Munch collection. The other two versions have had varied histories: one is now part of Norway's National Museum collection, and one is privately owned. The National Museum version includes a pencil inscription in the upper left corner, written by Munch himself, which says, "Can only have been painted by a madman". The Scream has been the target of several theft attempts, with one version being stolen from the National Gallery, Oslo, in 1994, and another stolen from the Munch Museum in 2004.
In addition to the four colourful versions, Munch also created a lithograph of The Scream in 1895. The printed versions of the artwork were central to establishing his international reputation as an artist. It is unknown how many lithographs were printed, but it is estimated that there are around 30 impressions of The Scream. Six of these, including one hand-coloured by Munch, are in the museum's collection today.
The Scream has become one of the most iconic images in art, seen as symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition. Munch's work, including The Scream, had a significant influence on the Expressionist movement. The Scream continues to fascinate people and influence visual culture, with its imagery being compared to the experiences of individuals suffering from depersonalization disorder.
Painting Your Truck: How Many Quarts of Paint?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Scream is an icon of modern art
Edvard Munch's The Scream is an icon of modern art. The painting depicts a personal experience of the artist, where he sensed an "infinite scream passing through nature". The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images in art, seen as symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition. The Scream is the best-known work from a powerful series of images, which Munch called The Frieze of Life, first exhibited in 1893.
Munch created four colourful versions of The Scream – two paintings with tempera, and two drawings with pastel and crayon. Two of these remained in his possession and are now in the Munch collection. Of the remaining two versions, one is in Norway's National Museum's collection and one is privately owned. There are also several prints of the painting, with around 30 impressions of The Scream in the lithograph stone form.
The Scream has been the target of several thefts and theft attempts. On 12 February 1994, the same day as the opening of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, two men broke into the National Gallery in Oslo and stole its version of The Scream. After the gallery refused to pay a ransom, the painting was recovered undamaged with the help of the British police. In 2004, the 1910 version of The Scream was stolen again, this time by masked gunmen during daylight hours.
The Scream has had a lasting influence on popular culture. From Andy Warhol to Manga, and Halloween masks to film, the painting continues to fascinate people. The Scream is often considered to be an oil painting, but it was actually created with tempera, oils, and pastel. The graphical work is said to be more frightening than the painted ones, with the sharply outlined white head of the main figure resembling a skull.
Easy Steps to Change Background Color in Corel Photo-Paint
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
There are four colourful versions of the Scream painting: two paintings with tempera, and two drawings with pastel and crayon.
Two of the four versions were in Edvard Munch's possession and are now in the MUNCH collection. Of the remaining two, one is part of Norway's National Museum's collection and one is privately owned.
Approximately 50 prints were produced from the original lithograph stone. There are estimated to be around 30 impressions of the Scream, six of which, including one hand-coloured by Munch, are in the museum's collection.
