The Scream
Edvard Munch · 1893
Oil, tempera and pastel on cardboard
Quick answer
The Scream (1893) by Edvard Munch is in National Museum of Norway, Oslo. The Scream is a series of expressionist compositions by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, created in versions between 1893 and 1910. The most famous version — oil, tempera, and pastel on cardboard — is held by the National Museum of Norway in Oslo. The image depicts an agonised figure against a blood-red swirling sky on the Oslofjord. It is one of the most iconic images of Western art and a central work of Expressionism. World Museum Guide explains what you're looking at and how to see it.
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Scream located?
The most famous painted version (1893, oil/tempera/pastel on cardboard) is at the National Museum of Norway in Oslo, which opened in 2022. Another painted version (1910) and one pastel version are at the Munch Museum in Oslo. The 1895 pastel version is privately owned after selling at Sotheby's in 2012 for $119.9 million.
What is The Scream about?
Munch described the painting as depicting a moment of intense personal anxiety experienced on a walk near Ekeberg in Oslo. He wrote in his diary: "I stopped, leaned against the fence, tired to the point of death. Blood and tongues of fire were over the blue-black fjord and the city... friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety — and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature." The figure is experiencing an existential crisis, not necessarily screaming himself.
Was The Scream really stolen?
Yes, twice. In February 1994, thieves broke into the National Gallery in Oslo and stole the 1893 version in under 60 seconds, leaving a note saying "Thanks for the poor security." It was recovered three months later. In August 2004, a different version was stolen from the Munch Museum at gunpoint. Both were eventually recovered and the thieves convicted.
How much did The Scream sell for?
The 1895 pastel version sold at Sotheby's New York in May 2012 for $119.9 million (including buyer's premium), setting a world record at the time for any artwork sold at auction. The work had been in the same private collection for about 70 years before the sale.
What art style is The Scream?
The Scream is an early Expressionist work, though Munch created it before Expressionism existed as a named movement. It prioritises subjective emotional experience over objective representation — the distorted landscape reflects Munch's inner anxiety rather than what was actually visible. This approach directly influenced the German Expressionist movement of the early 20th century.