Lena Rivera
Edvard Munch's painting, The Scream, is one of the most famous and recognisable images in modern art. The agonised face depicted in the painting has been interpreted as a representation of the universal anxiety of modern humanity. The painting is believed to have been inspired by a panic attack that Munch himself suffered in 1892, during which he sensed an infinite scream passing through nature. The image has been reproduced widely, appearing on everything from posters and mugs to the cover of Time magazine in 1961.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Edvard Munch |
| Year of creation | 1893 |
| Number of versions | 4 |
| Type of art | Painting and pastel |
| Inspiration | A panic attack or a terrifying emotional experience |
| Symbolism | Anxiety of the human condition, universal anxiety of modern humanity, existential crisis |
| Location | The National Museum of Norway in Oslo |
| Inscription | "Kan kun være malet af en gal Mand!" ("Could only have been painted by a madman!") |
| Price | Sold for $119,922,600 at Sotheby's in 2012 |
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What You'll Learn
Edvard Munch's inspiration
Munch's sister, Laura Catherine, was a patient at a mental asylum at the foot of Ekeberg, which overlooked Oslofjord and Hovedøya. The proximity of the asylum to the site depicted in the painting may have offered inspiration, with the landscape identified as the view from a road on the hill of Ekeberg. Munch's entry in his diary from 22 January 1892, describes the event that inspired the painting, and his sketch from that year, titled 'Despair', is thought to be a precursor to The Scream.
The reddish sky in the background of the painting has been attributed to several possible influences. One theory suggests that it was influenced by the powerful volcanic eruption of Krakatoa, which deeply tinted sunset skies red across parts of the Western hemisphere for months in 1883 and 1884, about a decade before Munch painted The Scream. Another explanation attributes the red skies to the occurrence of nacreous clouds, which are common at the latitude of Norway and resemble the skies depicted in the painting.
The skeletal figure in the foreground of the painting may have been inspired by an Inca or Peruvian mummy that Munch saw at the World's Fair in Paris in 1889. The central figure has been interpreted as a self-portrait, possibly influenced by the death of Munch's older sister, Sophie, when he was 13. However, Munch himself stated that the protagonist in the painting bore no resemblance to himself or anyone else, and the figure has been depersonalized and stripped of gender.
The Scream has become an iconic image in modern art, symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition and representing the shift towards uncertainty and existential crisis in Western culture around the turn of the 20th century.
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Symbolism and meaning
Edvard Munch's The Scream is considered one of the most iconic images in modern art, with its universal appeal stemming from its ability to articulate an important shift that occurred within Western culture around the turn of the 20th century. The painting is a reflection of the anxiety and uncertainty of modern humanity, presenting a man cut loose from all the certainties of the 19th century, such as religion, tradition, and customs.
Munch created four versions of The Scream in his lifetime: two in paint and two in pastels. The first version, a painting, was completed in 1893 and is housed in Oslo's National Gallery. This version 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!"). The second pastel version, from 1893, is in the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo. The third version, another painting, was created in 1910 and is also held at the Munch Museum. The fourth version, a pastel-on-board from 1895, remains in private hands and briefly held the record for the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in 2012, fetching almost $120 million.
The Scream is believed to be autobiographical, inspired by an experience Munch had while walking along a road at sunset with two friends. He described how the sky turned a blood red, filling him with anxiety and an overwhelming sense of melancholy. He sensed an infinite scream passing through nature, which some scholars interpret as a terrifying emotional experience or a panic attack. The painting's reddish sky has been attributed to various factors, including the memory of the effects of the powerful volcanic eruption of Krakatoa, the appearance of nacreous clouds at the latitude of Norway, and the psychological impact of his sister's commitment to a nearby lunatic asylum.
The central figure in the painting, with its distorted and depersonalized form, has been interpreted as a self-portrait or a reflection of the artist's own mental state. It may also have been inspired by an Inca or Peruvian mummy that Munch saw at the World's Fair in Paris in 1889. The agonized face in the painting has become a symbol of the anxiety and anguish of the human condition, with the flowing curves and undulating lines representing the subjective linear fusion imposed upon nature.
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The painting's influence
Edvard Munch's The Scream is one of the most famous images in modern art and has had a profound influence on subsequent artistic movements and individual artists. The painting is considered a key work for the Symbolist movement and an important inspiration for the Expressionist movement of the early 20th century. The Expressionists were drawn to Munch's focus on subjective vision and the depiction of sound and emotion. The Scream's influence can be seen in the work of artists such as Francis Bacon, whose pictures of howling popes echo the painting's agonised figure. In 1984, Andy Warhol created a series of screen prints that recast The Scream in bright, eye-popping colours.
The painting's iconic status has also inspired tributes and homages. The performance artist Marina Abramovic persuaded inhabitants of Oslo to scream in public as a tribute to Munch. In 1998, Tracey Emin, for whom The Scream is a favourite historical painting, made a film in which she visited a Norwegian fjord and screamed for a full minute.
The Scream has also had a significant influence on popular culture. In 2012, one version of the painting sold for US$119.9 million, making it the second most expensive artwork ever sold at an open auction at the time. The painting's image has been reproduced widely, appearing on the cover of a book on mental illness and art as early as 1908. In 2014, the Norwegian postal service commemorated the 150th anniversary of Munch's birth with a series of stamps featuring four of his paintings, including The Scream. The painting's enduring popularity and influence attest to its power as a universal symbol of human anxiety and existential anguish.
The Scream's influence extends beyond the artistic realm and into the public consciousness as a symbol of modern anxiety. The painting's agonised face is widely identified with the angst of the modern person, reflecting Munch's own emotional and psychological state. The painting's ability to convey complex emotions and psychological conditions has made it a lasting symbol of the human condition.
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Versions of the painting
Edvard Munch created four or five versions of "The Scream" between 1893 and 1917: three paintings, a pastel, and a lithograph. The 1893 painting is in Oslo's National Gallery, while the Munch Museum in Oslo holds the 1910 painting and the 1893 pastel. The 1895 pastel-on-board version, which was sold at Sotheby's New York in 2012 for a record-breaking sum, is the only one of the four that remains in private hands.
The 1893 version is considered the most famous and prized of the four. It has been the target of several high-profile thefts, including one in 1994 when it was stolen from the National Gallery and recovered several months later. Another version was stolen at gunpoint from the Munch Museum in Oslo and recovered two years later. Both painted versions have been stolen from public museums but have since been recovered.
In 2012, one of the pastel versions commanded the highest nominal price paid for a piece of artwork at a public auction at that time. The 1895 pastel-on-cardboard version fetched almost $120 million (£75 million) at Sotheby's in New York. The buyer was the American financier Leon Black, who lent the work to a new exhibition, Munch and Expressionism, at the Neue Galerie in New York.
The version held by the National Museum of Norway 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!"). It was first noticed when the painting was exhibited in Copenhagen in 1904, eleven years after this version was painted. Infrared photography revealed that Munch himself wrote the comment.
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The painting's popularity
The Scream is one of the most famous paintings in art history and is recognised across the world. This iconic status has been achieved for a number of reasons, not least the unique and striking nature of the painting's composition and its powerful emotional impact. The painting's popularity has been enhanced by its reproduction in popular culture, including in films, television, and literature, and through its influence on modern artistic expressions of anxiety and existential dread.
The Scream has been the subject of numerous interpretations and analyses, with art critics and scholars debating its meaning and significance. The painting's enigmatic nature and the sense of mystery surrounding its creation have only added to its allure, making it a perennial favourite for art lovers and the general public alike.
The painting has been reproduced and referenced countless times in popular culture, further enhancing its recognition and popularity. The image has been used in film posters, album covers, and advertising campaigns, often as a symbol of anxiety, fear, or existential crisis. The Scream has also been parodied and pastiched, with artists and designers creating their own versions of the painting, often with a humorous or satirical twist.
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Frequently asked questions
Edvard Munch's The Scream is an expression of the anxiety of the human condition. It is believed to be autobiographical, based on an experience Munch had while walking at sunset, during which he sensed an "infinite scream passing through nature".
The Scream was inspired by an experience Munch had while walking along a path in Oslo. Munch described how he suddenly saw the sky turn "blood red" and felt overwhelmed by anxiety, sensing a scream passing through nature.
The Scream was created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893. It is one of four versions of the painting that Munch created in his lifetime, two in paint and two in pastels. The painting has been widely reproduced and has become one of the most iconic images in modern art.
The Scream is considered a canonical piece in the art nouveau style. Munch used undulating lines that pressed in on the figure like shock waves, reducing its face to a primal image of fear.
The Scream is often interpreted as a representation of the universal anxiety and uncertainty of modern humanity. It is seen as a shift from the certainties of the 19th century to the unknowns of the 20th century, depicting a man in a moment of existential crisis.
