Cristina Baldari
Nov 3, 2021
Updated: Mar 29, 2023
I am like
the sleepwalker who
walks on the ridge
of a roof—
sure-footed and calm
he walks without seeing
without hearing—
Oh someone shouts at
him—louder and
louder—he wakes up
and he falls off
of the roof—down
from his dreams—
Don’t do that
to me—that
—I walk
calmly in my dreams
which are my life—
—only like that
can I live
J.Gill Holland - The Private Journals of Edvard Munch: We Are Flames Which Pour Out of the Earth , University of Wisconsin Press, 2005
If someone asked you which painting best represents the tragedy of the pandemic, you would undoubtedly answer "The Scream" by Edvard Munch.
Even if he passed away almost eighty years ago, the Norwegian leading artist of Expressionism was a master in giving life to inner feelings throught a beautiful, timeless creative chemistry. Shades, portrayed characters and textures are still speaking loudly to us.
Edvard Munch (born December 12, 1863, Löten—died January 23, 1944, Ekely) grew up into a middle-class family that was plagued with a suffering story. His mother died when he was five, his eldest sister when he was 14, both of tuberculosis; his father and brother also died when he was still young, and another sister developed mental illness.
Spending a lot of time staying at bed in order to recover from his weak healt was the reason why he approched art so early.
He organized his first stolo exhibition in Kristiania, Oslo's ol name, in the spring of 1889.
Munch lived mainly in Berlin in 1892–95 and then in Paris in 1896–97, and he continued to move around extensively until he settled in Norway in 1910, working until his very last years.
The biggest Munch's artwork collection has recently receveid a restyling: the Oslo Munchmuseet changed its place from Tøyen -where it was opened in 1963- to Bjørvika, a thirteen floors modern building designed by Spanish architects firm Estudio Herreros and four times larger than the previous one. Opening on October 22, The new museum has already welcomed enthusiastic visitors with its eleven galleries, five thematic exhibitions and a dedicated room for Munch's photography experiments. Even the furniture both indoor and outdoor is inspired by his colours and created by designers Andreas Engesvik and Jonas Stokke.
Is it possible to admire 26,700 masterpieces in the new museum. Besides the cultural, powerful and sentimental value of his artistic experience, what's the economical one? Let's take a look to some of his last artworks sold at auction.
"Tiger og bjørn"/ "The tiger and the bear" (1908-1909)
"Tiger og bjørn"/ "The tiger and the bear" (1908-1909) is a lithograph sold on October 26, 2021 at the Autumn Evening Sale in Oslo. The hammer price was € 9,280 (NOK 90,000 ).
Lot # 37
Print-Multiple
Lithograph
24 x 47 cm
Hammer price: € 9,280 (NOK 90,000 )
Estimate: € 10,311 - € 12,373 (NOK 100,000 - NOK 120,000 )
Autumn Evening Sale
26 oct 2021
Blomqvist
Oslo, Norway
Details
Signed « EDV Munch » lower right
Notes: Woll 347 ; Sch 317
"Madonna" (1895-1902)
Madonna" (1895-1902) is a lithograph in colors sold on October 22, 2021 at Christie's in NEw York. The hammer price was € 601,730 ($ 700,000).
Lot # 86
Print-Multiple
Lithograph in colors/card. Printed by Walter Lassally, Berlin, 1902
60 x 44 cm
Hammer price: € 601,730 ($ 700,000
Price including buyer's premium: € 747,864 ($ 870,000 )
Estimate: € 343,845 - € 515,768 ($ 400,000 - $ 600,000 )
Prints & Multiples
22 oct 2021
Christie's
New York NY, United States
Details
Hand signed
Notes: Schiefler 33; Woll 39
Provenance: Gustav Schiefler (1857-1935), Hamburg; acquired directly from the artist on 11 February 1903 (according to Schiefler’s diary entry of that day). Otto Georg Schiefler (d. 2019), Hamburg; by descent in the family from the above. Private Collection, Hamburg; acquired privately from the above around 1968-70
"The Pretenders: Fratricide" (c.1929)
The Pretenders: Fratricide" (c.1929) is a watercolor available for online auction from September 30 to October 7 and sold at Sotheby's United Kingdom. The hammer price was € 17,688 (£ 15,000 ).
Lot # 36
Drawing-Watercolor
Pencil/paper
39 x 43 cm
Hammer price: € 17,688 (£ 15,000 )
Price including buyer's premium: € 22,286 (£ 18,900 )
Estimate: € 17,688 - € 23,584 (£ 15,000 - £ 20,000 )
Impressionist & Modern Art Online
From 30 sep 2021 to 07 oct 2021
Online only
Sotheby's
United Kingdom
Details
Notes: Property from a Private Danish Collection
Provenance: Private Collection
"On the Bridge" (1912-1913) is a lithograph available for online auction from September 16 to September 21 and sold at Christie's, United Kingdom. The hammer price was € 104,259 (£ 90,000 ).
Lot # 27
Print-Multiple
Lithograph/grey laid Japan paper. Printed by A. P. Nielsen, Oslo
Ed. 14
38 x 53 cm
Hammer price: € 104,259 (£ 90,000 )
Price including buyer's premium: € 130,323 (£ 112,500 )
Estimate: € 115,843 - € 173,765 (£ 100,000 - £ 150,000 )
Prints & Multiples
From 16 sep 2021 to 28 sep 2021
Online only
Christie's
United Kingdom
Details
Hand signed
Notes: Schiefler 380; Woll 416
Provenance: Property of a private individual
"Anziehung I"/"Attraction I" (1896)
"Anziehung I"/"Attraction I" (1896) is a lithograph sold on September 15 at Christie's, New York. The hammer price was € 29,648 ($ 35,000 ).
Lot # 1
Print-Multiple
Lithograph/China. Printed by Auguste Clot, Paris
47.3 x 36.2 cm
Hammer price: € 29,648 ($ 35,000 )
Price including buyer's premium: € 37,060 ($ 43,750 )
Estimate: € 16,941 - € 25,412 ($ 20,000 - $ 30,000 )
A Graphic Dialogue: Prints from the Collection of Lois B. and Michael K. Torf
15 sep 2021
Christie's
New York NY, United States
Details
Notes: Schiefler 65; Woll 75
"Der Kuss IV" (1902)
"Der Kuss IV" (1902) is a woodcut sold on July 15, 2021 at Karl & Faber, Munich. The hammer price was € 120,000.
Lot # 501
Print-Multiple
Woodcut/Japan
46.5 x 47 cm
Hammer price: € 120,000
Price including buyer's premium: € 150,000
Estimate: € 120,000 - € 150,000
Moderne Kunst - Ausgewählte Werke
15 jul 2021
Karl & Faber
Munich, Germany
Details
Signed lower right
Notes: Schiefler 102 D; Woll 204 III 2 (von IV 3).
Provenance: Laube Antiquariat, Zürich; Klipstein & Kornfeld, Bern, 27.11.1959, Los 469, mit Abb. Tafel 3; Privatsammlung, Caracas; Privatsammlung, Bayern, durch Erbfolge an den jetzigen Besitzer.
Illustrated on page 12 of the catalog
Sources:
https://www.artprice.com/artist/20694/edvard-munch/lots/pasts?ipp=30&nbd=5&sort=datesale_desc
https://www.wallpaper.com/design/munch-museum-furniture-vestre-stokke-engesvik