The Scream

Created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893, The Scream is one of the most iconic images in art history. Depicting an agonized figure against a blood-red sky overlooking the Oslofjord, the work masterfully captures existential dread and anxiety. Munch produced four versions of this composition in paint and pastel, alongside a lithograph. The original 1893 tempera and oil version resides in the National Museum of Norway, serving as a foundational pillar of modern Expressionism. The 1893 painted version was stolen in 1994 and recovered. The 1910 painted version is in the Munch Museum, stolen in 2004 and recovered in 2006.

Created by Edvard Munch in 1893, the original painting was sold in 1910 to Norwegian collector Olaf Schou, who immediately donated it to the National Gallery in Oslo (now the National Museum of Norway). It has remained in the Norwegian state collection ever since, despite a brief three-month theft and recovery in 1994.