The Scream is a mysterious painting by Edvard Munch. scream

Painting is a child Edvard Munch, which is one of the most famous works of art in history, attracting a wide audience today. There are actually four different original versions of The Scream. The canvas is created using various artistic media, including oil paints, tempera and pastels. The Scream is part of a larger art collection, a series that the artist himself calls "The Frieze of Life".

Out of time, the creature depicted in The Scream is a genderless human with a pale face, standing next to a fence, looking expansively in a chaotic environment. What captures him so much that he sees in front of him on the other side of the picture? The man is screaming, his mouth is wide open, with his hands pressed at his sides to his face. You can see that the scream is reflected in the intense bloody, red, orange, blue and black color scheme of the background. Two people are standing, their backs turned, not far from the screaming figure, with black silhouettes at the very edge of our visual scene. In the distance there is the shadow of a small town, almost completely lost in the swirling sky.

The National Gallery in Oslo, Norway owns one of the "Scream" series of paintings.

It is believed that just one pastel version of The Scream will sell for around $80 million, making it one of the most valuable works of art ever auctioned in history.

Inspiration for writing "The Scream"

The man of Norwegian origin, Edvard Munch, studied at the Academy in Oslo with the famous Norwegian artist Christian Krogh. He created the first version of The Scream in 1893 when he was about 30 years old, and made the fourth and final version of The Scream in 1910. He described himself in a book written in 1900 as almost going insane, like his sister Laura, who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital during this period of time.

Personally, he discussed pushing emotions to extreme actions. Munch is going through a very dark moment in his life during that period.

The Scream painting was based on a real, actual location, located on Ekeberg Hill in Norway, on the way to the safety fences. Faint cityscape convey the view of Oslo and the Oslo Fjord.

At the bottom of the Eckeberg hill there was a lunatic asylum where Edvard Munch's sister was placed for treatment, and there was also a slaughterhouse nearby. Some people describe that in those days, you could actually hear the screams of animals being killed, as well as the screams of those suffering from mental disorders with a psycho. hospitals. Under these conditions, Edvard Munch was most likely inspired by the screams, which, combined with his personal inner tragedy and confusion, gave rise to the idea for creating The Scream. Edvard Munch wrote in his diary that his inspiration for the painting came while he was walking at sunset with two friends, when he began to feel very deeply tired both physically and mentally. He stopped to rest, leaning against the railing. He felt anxiety and experienced a cry that seemed to go through all of nature. The rest is left to an endless spectrum of interpretations.

The Scream is a group of Expressionist paintings by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch depicting a despairing figure against a blood red sky. The landscape in the background is a view of the Oslo Fjord from Ekeberg Hill, in the city of Oslo, Norway.

Munch created four versions of The Scream, each with a different technique. The Munch Museum presents one of two oil paintings.

Sold at Sotheby's in New York, the Scream painting was made in pastel. Previously, it belonged to the son of billionaire Thomas Olsen and was never shown to the general public. At the same time, this version of The Scream is one of the most recognizable works of art in history, on a level with "Sunflowers" by Van Gogh or "Black Square" by Malevich.

Munch himself sold this painting to Olsen at the end of the 19th century, a Norwegian shipowner who lived next door was a friend and patron of the artist. It is reported that the painting is still placed in a simple frame, which Edvard Munch himself created for her.

At the auction, it was sold in 12 minutes and set an absolute record for the cost of a piece of art ever sold - $19.1 million. Over the past decade, only three works of art have managed to break the $100 million barrier - two paintings by Picasso and one sculpture by Alberto Giacometti. The Scream broke the record set by Pablo Picasso's Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, which sold in 2010 for $106.5 million.

Munch himself explained how the idea for this painting was born. “I was walking along the road with my friends. The sun was setting. The sky turned blood red. I was seized with sadness. I stood mortally tired against the background of dark blue. The fjord and the city hung in fiery flames. I got separated from my friends. Trembling with fear, I heard the cry of nature,” engraved on the frame of the sold lot by Munch.

The reddish sky may have been caused by the eruption of the Krakatau volcano in 1883. Volcanic ash tinted the skies reddish in the eastern United States, Europe, and Asia from November 1883 to February 1884.

The figure in the foreground probably depicts the artist himself, not screaming, but on the contrary, protecting himself from the cry of nature. In this sense, the posture in which he portrays himself may be a reflex reaction of a person trying to escape from a strong noise, real or imagined.

"The Scream" refers to the collective, the unconscious. Whatever your nationality, creed or age, you are sure to have experienced the same existential horror at least once, especially in an age of violence and self-destruction, when everyone is fighting for survival,” said David Norman, co-chairman of the board of directors of Sotheby, on the eve of the auction. s.

He believes that Munch's canvas was a prophetic work that predicted the 20th century with its two world wars, the Holocaust, environmental disasters and nuclear weapons.

Three other versions of The Scream have been stolen from museums more than once, but they have invariably been returned to their owners.

There is an opinion that the paintings are cursed. Mysticism, according to art critic and Munch specialist Alexander Prufrock, is confirmed by real stories. Dozens of people who came into contact with the canvas in one way or another fell ill, quarreled with loved ones, fell into severe depression or died suddenly. All this created a bad reputation for the picture, and visitors to the museum in Oslo looked at it with apprehension.

Once a museum employee accidentally dropped the canvas. After some time, he began to have terrible headaches, seizures became stronger and, in the end, he committed suicide.

There is also a version that this picture is partly the result of the artist's mental disorder. There is evidence that Munch suffered from manic-depressive psychosis, as he had a hard time experiencing the death of his sister in early childhood.

“Munch tirelessly reproduced the“ Scream ”, as if in this way trying to get rid of him, until he underwent treatment in the clinic. With the victory over psychosis, he lost the ability (or the need) to do this, ”the Encyclopedia of Art website says.

“Illness, madness and death are black angels who stood guard over my cradle and accompanied me all my life,” Munch wrote about himself.

The famous painting by Edvard Munch "The Scream" today for the first time appeared before the eyes of Londoners. For a long time, the picture of the Norwegian expressionist was in the private collection of fellow countryman Edvard Munch, entrepreneur Petter Olsen, whose father was the artist's friend, neighbor and customer. Interestingly, using various artistic techniques, Munch wrote four options paintings called "Scream".

A distinctive feature of the painting "The Scream", which is presented in London, is the original frame in which the work is placed. The frame was painted by Edvard Munch himself, which is confirmed by the author's inscription explaining the plot of the picture: "My friends went on, I was left behind, trembling with anxiety, I felt the great Cry of Nature." In Oslo, at the Edvard Munch Museum, there are two more versions of The Scream - one of them is made in pastel, and the other is in oil. The fourth version of the painting is in the Norwegian National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design. "The Scream", by Olsen, is the first painting in the series, painted in pastels, and differs from the other three paintings in an unusually bright color palette. Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream" embodies the isolation of a person, desperate loneliness, the loss of the meaning of life. The tension of the scene gives a dramatic contrast between the lonely figure in the foreground and strangers in the distance, who are busy with themselves.

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Each work of art has its own unique, unlike any other story, its symbolism and its secrets. And in the new section "Pic of the Week" Styleinsider will tell about the fate and stories of the creation of the most famous masterpieces of world art. And the first will be one of the most mysterious paintings in history - "The Scream" by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch.

Year of creation

Painting versions

There are four versions of the painting in total. There are two paintings in the Edvard Munch Museum. One of them is made in oil, and the other is in pastel. The most famous oil version of the painting is exhibited at the National Museum of Norway. Another pastel painting is in private hands and belongs to American businessman Leon Black.

History of creation

“I was walking along the path with two friends - the sun was setting - suddenly the sky turned blood red, I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned against the fence - I looked at the blood and flames over the bluish-black fjord and the city - my friends went on, and I stood trembling with excitement, feeling an endless scream piercing nature, ”this is how Munch describes the moment when he felt the need to express the feelings that had gripped him. After all, the original title in German that Munch gave to his work was "Der Schrei der Natur" ("Cry of Nature"). However, the "Scream" in the variations known to us did not appear immediately. He was preceded by the paintings "Despair", "Anxiety" and "Melancholia", in which he tried to find the perfect image that would convey that feeling of horror, that emotional tension and that same bloody sunset. We see that in the picture the skies are painted in a bright scarlet color, which impressed Munch so much. In this regard, some scientists have put forward a version that such a shade of the sky was associated with the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in 1883. There is also a version that the painting was partly the result of a mental disorder, because there is documentary evidence that the artist really suffered from a manic-depressive psychosis caused by severe shock from the death of his sister.

Interesting Facts

“The Scream has been abducted several times by intruders. So, in 1994, the painting disappeared from the National Gallery, however, after a few months it was returned to its place. And in 2004, "The Scream" and another famous work of the artist "Madonna" were stolen from the Munch Museum. Both paintings were also returned in 2006. The works suffered some damage and, after restoration, were put on display again in May 2008.

- Based on "The Scream", Andy Warhol created a series of prints-copies in several colors.

- It was on the basis of the picture that the famous mask from the movie "Scream" was created

- "The Scream", among other works by Munch, was recognized as a model of degenerate art in Nazi Germany and was banned. The canvas was saved from destruction and bought from Germany by the Norwegian businessman Olsen.

- At the time of auction in 2012, the pastel version of the painting, owned by billionaire Peter Olsen, became the most expensive work of art put up for public auction. The work was sold within 12 minutes for more than $119 million.

“Many consider the picture cursed, since people who somehow came into contact with this canvas often fell ill, quarreled with relatives, fell into depression and died suddenly, which is partly confirmed by real stories.

The painting "The Scream", created presumably at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, has gained incredible popularity in our time. She has been repeatedly parodied, created comics and reimagined sketches. The image from the picture was used in advertising, cartoons, videos. The idea of ​​a mask from the horror movie "Scream" was inspired by this particular painting. There are legends about the curse of the picture - there are many mysterious diseases, deaths, mysterious cases around it.

Was this painting painted by Vincent van Gogh? The painting "The Scream" was originally called "The Cry of Nature".

Painter Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in the village of Grotto (Netherlands). In addition to him, the pastor's family had five more children. And only one of them, the younger brother Theo, was of great importance in the life of Vincent. Theo financed his brother all his life, he was the only one who believed in his genius.

Van Gogh, according to family tradition, tried himself as a commission agent in an art and trading company, was a preacher and teacher. Having failed in these fields, he turned to art.

While studying painting, Van Gogh copied the paintings of masters of past centuries. He studied the intricacies of the craft on the example of brilliant artists. At the same time, he created his own unique author's style.

Introduction to painting

By the age of 30, Van Gogh devoted himself entirely to painting. In landscapes, still lifes, portraits, the artist was looking for his color and light. He often worked in nature - under the hot sun or in the piercing wind. Van Gogh rapidly deteriorated. He was treated several times in a psychiatric clinic. The artist understood that the frequent attacks and hallucinations indicate an imminent death.

He furiously sets to work, depicting a bright and beautiful world ("The Harvest", "Fishing Boats in Sainte-Marie", "Valley of La Crau"). In periods of melancholy and loneliness, a completely different mood of the paintings appears (“At the Gates of Eternity”, “Night Cafe in Arles”, “Prisoners' Walk”). When you look at these canvases, you get the feeling that the painting “The Scream” was created in the same condition. Van Gogh is often considered the author of this masterpiece. Is this statement true?

His only sale during his lifetime was the painting Red Vineyards at Arles. Remaining misunderstood by his contemporaries, the artist contemplates suicide. On July 29, 1890, he shot himself in the chest with a pistol. Van Gogh always understood that his time was limited. He worked with the last of his strength, devoting himself to art. The museum in Amsterdam, dedicated to the work of the insane artist, annually gathers crowds of tourists and fans.

Realizing his genius, was Van Gogh happy in life? The picture "Scream" is full of ringing horror and hopelessness. But who is the author of this painting?

Starry night painting

One of the most Van Gogh, in addition to fields and sunflowers, is the painting "Starry Night". The fact is known that it was written in the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Remy. During periods of improved health, the artist was allowed to paint.

Brother Theo made sure that Vincent was given a separate room for painting. Van Gogh depicted local landscapes and flowers from nature. But Starry Night was written from memory. The movements of the stars are depicted in broad strokes - the luminous lights seem to spin in a spiral in a bizarre dance. Thin branches of cypress stretch to the sky. And under this mysterious firmament, the village froze, surrounded by the blue of the sky.

What did Van Gogh want to say with his painting? The painting "Scream" resembles the style of "Starry Night". The same internal anxiety - the insignificance of man before the power of nature. A sense of misfortune, impending despair peep through the cosmic immensity of being.

Reality or altered state?

Among art historians and psychiatrists, there is still debate about how truthfully Vincent van Gogh saw reality. "The Scream" is an unusual picture. It clearly points to the deformation of the artist's consciousness.

The late painting of Van Gogh is the fruit of research into the work of the mentally ill. Psychiatrists, far from the evolution of art, call the artist's painting the fruit of an altered consciousness. They argue that reality in his canvases passes through the prism of an unhealthy state. The unusual style indicates the pathology of the mental state.

Opinion of art critics

Art historians, on the contrary, agree that Van Gogh's painting is a manifestation of genius. The unique style, based on the classics and impressionism, points to the individualism of the artist. Between bouts of madness and hallucinations, Van Gogh showed amazing accuracy in setting artistic goals and objectives. His self-control emphasizes the clarity of thinking at the moment of creation.

A means for creating an imaginary world - this is how Van Gogh sees his painting. The painting "The Scream" is permeated with a gloomy foreboding of trouble. The rattling haze to the scream of horror in the foreground is a truly mystical foreboding of a future catastrophe.

History of the ear

Paul Gauguin was a friend of Van Gogh. In 1888 they decided to spend the winter together in Arles. The temper of both painters, their violent quarrels led to trouble. In a half-mad state, Vincent cut off his ear after the scandal with Gauguin - this is one of the versions of the artist's act.

According to another version, the joint drinking of alcohol and heated arguments about painting led to a small brawl between friends. Maybe it was Gauguin cut off. There is a variant that not all of the artist's ear was cut off, but only the lobe.

There is another version according to which Van Gogh suffered from otitis media. Severe pain, joint drinking of alcohol with Gauguin and their quarrels inspired Vincent to this way of getting rid of suffering.

The legend of a prostitute, over which two comrades argued, ended in an unpleasant ear incident. This version of the development of events appealed to creative people. It was this version of the conflict that formed the basis of the book and film about Van Gogh.

The most banal version of what happened: after a stormy feast the next morning, Vincent accidentally cut off his ear. While shaving, a strong tremor of the hands led to an absurd incident that became the hallmark of the artist.

Is there a connection between this event and the image of the painting "The Scream"? The protagonist of the picture, covering his ears with his hands, desperately screams in pain. Such a characterization of Van Gogh's painting "The Scream" is impossible for the simple reason that he is not its author.

mysterious picture

The painting "The Scream" was painted between 1893 and 1910. The blazing glow of the sky, the terrible despair in the eyes of the protagonist, the unreality of everything that was happening - the author was in a state of complete spiritual confusion. Is it possible to assume that the painting "The Scream" is Van Gogh?

Some features of this mysterious canvas are noticed. When a person "interacts" with a picture, he suddenly starts having problems. Some people's relatives died, someone went crazy or fell into a long-term depression.

Most often, museum workers became victims of the painting. They most of all had to contact with the canvas. There is a tragic story about an employee who accidentally dropped a painting. The onset of severe pain in the head drove the unfortunate man to suicide. Another museum worker touched the painting for the purity of the experiment. In the evening, he was burned alive in his own house. How true are these stories? It is not known for certain. But the negative energy of the picture is felt even in reproductions.

Given alcoholism and mental illness, it can be assumed that the painting "The Scream" is Van Gogh. The photo of the canvas conveys a wave of hopelessness to the viewer. But the true author is another artist.

Description of the artwork «Scream»

The canvas depicts a real area. It is located in the city of Oslo, next to the clinic for the mentally ill. In it, the sister of the author of the picture was treated for an illness.

The screaming figure on the canvas evokes different associations. She is compared to a skeleton, a mummy or an embryo. The protagonist of the picture screams from the despair that seized him. Pain and fear emanates from the undulating lines of the landscape. They, as if in a haze, rattle on a high note, giving rise to dissonance with the cry of the hero. The painting "The Scream" is permeated with a polytonal chord. Van Gogh (description, emotions, general style of the masterpiece) is not without reason considered the author of the canvas. Apparently, his state of mind was similar to that in which Edvard Munch painted his picture.

Who wrote "The Scream"?

Edvard Munch - Norwegian painter, theater artist, graphic artist, art theorist is the author of "The Scream". It is possible that the general style of the canvas was inspired by the work of the Dutch artist. Cosmic vibrations in the background seem to be drawn by Van Gogh. The painting "The Scream" is in the National Gallery and the Munch Museum (Oslo, Norway).

Edvard Munch created several versions of the masterpiece in a desire to get rid of his painful sensation. The bridge on the canvas, two figures in the background - the only reality of the chaos into which the main character plunges. The indifference of these figures emphasizes the complete loneliness of a person before fear and longing.