Edvard Munch's The Scream is one of the most famous paintings in the world, but the artist's other works might not be as familiar as you'd expect.
A new exhibition at the British Museum shows the Norwegian painter’s talent for capturing emotion in a single piece — be it anxiety, love, isolation or despair.
Edvard Munch: Love and Angst showcases 83 artworks, including a black and white lithographic print of The Scream, and will pay close attention to the artist's printmaking — the medium that brought about his fame.
To mark the British Museum’s exhibition, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite Edvard Munch works, covering all forms.
The Scream, 1893
This 1893 painting is undoubtedly Munch's most famous and is still an iconic image more than 120 years on, spawning endless pop culture references, from Halloween masks to movies. The androgynous individual in the painting is clearly overcome with horror. Munch created four main versions of this work, two pastels and two paintings, but a number of other lithographs and sketches are also associated with it. The popularity of this piece has resulted in it being the target of a number of high-profile art thefts. In 1994, the National Gallery in Oslo fell victim to this crime and had its version stolen — thankfully it was recovered three months later.
Vampire, 1893
Vampire was not the original title of this work — in fact Munch called it Love and Pain. The revised name was picked up later on, in reference to the vampire-like embrace of the woman, over the man. Munch maintained, however, that it was simply a woman kissing a man and remained ambiguous regarding any deeper meaning. Vampire, along with a number of Munch's other works, was banned in Nazi Germany for being morally "degenerate" — but thankfully most of his art survived the Second World War.
Angst, 1894
You might get a strong sense of déjà vu looking at this work — that’s because it bears comparison to Munch’s The Scream. The background recalls the familiar scene as Munch repeats the jetty, the two boats and the red and orange-hued sky. Angst, however, showcases a kind of collective despair from the multiple people in the painting, whereas The Scream focuses on individual agony. Many people have argued that Munch, much like fellow Norwegian creatives such as Ibsen, captured his country's political anxieties of the time.
Puberty, 1894
Munch used the theme of puberty to form part of a series when he was an established artist in Berlin. This artwork, which depicts a young naked girl sitting on a bed, is another one of his controversial images due to its sexual connotations. Some critics suggest the overbearing shadow that lurks behind her symbolises her anxieties around growing up.
Madonna, 1895–1902
As with many of his artworks, Munch created several versions of this piece, including this lithographic print which includes swimming sperm around the edge and a foetus in the corner. Some critics have suggested that the sperm represents male desire framing the canvas, while others view the Madonna as a femme fatale figure. The combination of religion and eroticism meant that the artwork was met with controversy when it was first released.
The Kiss, 1897
Munch's The Frieze of Life series was a collection that focused on love, sex, death, anxiety and jealousy, and included this piece alongside The Scream painting. The dark, secluded nature of the piece suggests the relationship is private and perhaps secretive, and the faces are fused together, which could reflect the couple’s unity. Munch never married and many believe The Kiss reflects the artist’s ambivalent attitudes towards romance.
The Lonely Ones, 1899
Munch was a fan of using the same motif across numerous mediums, such as painting, printmaking and drawing, so often one given piece will have a number of different versions — this print is one of eight for The Lonely Ones. In the work, two figures can be seen staring out to sea and, despite being next to each other, both appear to be isolated. The piece is another great example of how Munch captures such strong human emotion in just one image.
The Girls On The Bridge, 1899
This painting, created in 1899, marks a new era of Munch’s art. The colours are clearer and brighter than his paintings from the late 19th century, but his signature swirling style can still be seen in this work, and the elongated pier somewhat echoes The Scream. It also appears to venture into more harmonious and picturesque territory compared to his earlier anxiety-fuelled pieces.
Jealousy, 1933–35
Jealousy, with its 11 versions, is another example of Munch revisiting a painting. On the whole, it’s thought the motif refers to the relationship Munch had with the wife of his poet friend Stainislaw Przybyszewski. This particular version has biblical imagery in the background, such as the apple and the naked Eve-like woman, alluding to ideas of temptation.
The Sick Child, 1925
Munch had a tough childhood and this 1907 painting recalls a particular haunting memory — the death of his fifteen-year-old sister, Sophie, who passed away from tuberculosis. This particularly personal project took him more than 40 years to complete, resulting in six different works. Some critics suggest the rapid brushwork reflects him recalling the painful and traumatic memory.
