← Story page

The Scream

Edvard Munch · 1893

100%

CULTUREPICK · MASTERWORK MAGNIFIER

The Scream

The Scream (Skrik)

Edvard Munch · 1893
Collection National Museum of Norway · Oslo
Original 3,223 × 4,000px

Why did this painting become "The Scream"?

Key Points

The painter who felt nature's scream during an evening walk
The red sky may have been caused by a volcanic eruption
The figure in the painting may have been inspired by a mummy
The events surrounding its theft and recovery

Reading the Work

What's Depicted

This painting depicts a person trembling with exhaustion and anxiety, gazing at the sky. His face is filled with pain and despair, and the red sky looks like a scream from nature itself. The figure is shown from behind, so his face is not visible, yet his emotion dominates the entire painting.

Into the Painting

The red sky was painted with cadmium yellow and ultramarine, and the painting's colors carry an intense, emotional tone. The figure's face is faintly rendered like a skull, making his identity unknowable. The background depicts a fjord and a hillside path overlooking the city, symbolizing the conflict between nature and humanity.

Why It's a Masterpiece

This painting is regarded as a symbol of modern art, symbolically expressing human psychological pain and anxiety. It had a great influence on the Expressionist movement and has become one of the most famous images in art history. His emotion has resonated with people around the world.

Commentary source: Smarthistory · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Image: Public domain · Original on Wikimedia Commons
Viewer: OpenSeadragon (BSD)

Read the full story → More masterworks →

Drag to pan · scroll or pinch to zoom — down to the brushstrokes