Only crazy people can draw… Munch scream mystery solved

The mystery of the sentences on the canvas of Norwegian painter Edvar Munch’s’Scream’ has been solved.

According to AP, dpa, etc. on the 22nd (local time), the sentence “Can only be drawn by crazy people” is written in the upper left corner of the’scream’ canvas.

Written in small, almost invisible text, it turned out to be written by the author, Munch. The National Gallery of Norway said that this article, which had been speculated about the identity, was written by Munch himself.

The museum’s curator, Mybrid Gulen, said he compared the handwriting in Munch’s diary and letters with the handwriting in his work. “This article is undoubtedly Munch’s own,” he explained.

There have been many speculations in the art world regarding this text. There have been many speculations about the article, from the claim that it was due to vandalism (air damage) to the opinion that Munch himself wrote it.

The museum analyzed that Munch had added a sentence after completing the work in 1893. Guuleng said the writing was likely written in 1895, when Munch first exhibited the work.

At the beginning of the exhibition, the public who encountered this work raised questions about Munch’s mental state. At a debate attended by Munch, a medical degree from Oriental Medicine raised questions about Munch’s mental health and argued that his work proved he was not healthy.

The art museum estimates that the sentence may have been added in 1895 or soon after Munch responds to such an evaluation of his work.

Guuleng explained that Munch was deeply hurt by the arguments surrounding him and his work at the time, and that he repeatedly mentioned the incident in a letter or diary.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian National Gallery was temporarily closed in 2019 for moving. It will be newly opened in Oslo in 2022, and the’Scream’ will also be exhibited at this time.

Reporter Lee Mi-kyung, Hankyung.com [email protected]

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