The Scream by Munch — What Is the Figure Actually Screaming About?

The Scream: The Universal Image of Anxiety

The Scream by Edvard Munch is one of the most iconic images in art history — a raw, visceral expression of existential dread that has resonated with audiences for over a century. Created in 1893 during the height of the Expressionist movement, the painting depicts a gaunt, androgynous figure standing on a bridge, hands pressed to its face in a silent scream, while the sky blazes with swirling bands of orange and red.

Munch created four versions of The Scream between 1893 and 1910, using different media including painting, pastel, and lithography. The most famous version — the 1893 tempera and crayon on cardboard — is held by the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway, while a later pastel version sold at auction in 2012 for nearly $120 million, then a world record.

The Story Behind The Scream

Munch described the experience that inspired The Scream in a diary entry dated January 22, 1892: “I was walking along the road with two friends — the sun was setting — suddenly the sky turned blood red — I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence — there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city. My friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety — and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature.”

The scene is set on a road overlooking the Oslofjord from the hill of Ekeberg in Kristiania (now Oslo). Some scholars have suggested that the vivid red skies Munch described may have been caused by the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, which produced spectacular sunsets across Europe for months. Others attribute the colors to a psychological experience rather than an atmospheric one.

Munch conceived The Scream as part of a larger series he called The Frieze of Life, which explored themes of love, anxiety, death, and melancholy. The painting was first exhibited in Berlin in 1893 and was met with both fascination and hostility. Critics found it disturbing and technically crude, while others recognized it as a breakthrough in emotional expression.

The painting has been stolen twice: in 1994, thieves broke into the National Gallery on the opening day of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics and stole it (it was recovered three months later). In 2004, the pastel version was taken from the Munch Museum at gunpoint and was not recovered until 2006. Both incidents only amplified the painting's fame and cultural significance.

Artistic Analysis: Technique & Style

Expressive Color & Distortion

Munch used color not to describe reality but to express emotion. The blood-red sky with its swirling bands of orange, crimson, and dark blue creates an atmosphere of apocalyptic dread. The landscape itself appears to vibrate and undulate in sympathy with the figure's anguish. This radical use of color to convey psychological states rather than visual appearances was a defining innovation of Expressionism.

The Central Figure

The screaming figure is deliberately de-individualized — genderless, ageless, and almost skull-like, with hollow eyes and an open mouth frozen in a silent howl. By stripping away specific identity, Munch created a universal symbol of human anxiety. The figure's undulating body echoes the rhythms of the landscape, suggesting that the boundary between self and world has dissolved. Munch may have been influenced by a Peruvian mummy he saw at the 1889 Paris World Exhibition.

Composition & Perspective

The composition is built on a stark contrast between the rigid, receding lines of the bridge railing and the organic, swirling curves of the sky, water, and figure. The bridge creates a dramatic perspective that pulls the viewer's eye into the distance, while the two dark figures walking away reinforce the screamer's isolation. This tension between geometric order and emotional chaos gives the painting its visual and psychological power.

Medium & Surface

Munch painted The Scream with tempera and crayon on cardboard rather than oil on canvas — an unconventional choice that contributes to the work's raw, unfinished quality. The thin, matte surface of the tempera and the visible texture of the crayon strokes give the painting an immediacy and fragility that reinforces its emotional content. The cardboard support has also made conservation a significant challenge.

Where to See The Scream

The most famous version of The Scream (1893, tempera and crayon on cardboard) is displayed at the National Gallery (Nasjonalmuseet) in Oslo, Norway. The museum reopened in its new building on the Oslo waterfront in 2022, and The Scream is one of its star attractions. A later version (1910, tempera on board) is held by the MUNCH museum, also in Oslo.

The National Gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday. General admission is 200 NOK (free for visitors under 18). Oslo is a compact city, and both The Scream locations are easily accessible by public transport. For the best experience, visit on a weekday morning. Use ArtScan during your visit to identify The Scream and other masterpieces in the collection.

Fun Facts About The Scream

• Munch created four versions. Between 1893 and 1910, Munch made four versions of The Scream in different media: two paintings (tempera/crayon on cardboard), one pastel, and one lithograph.
• It was stolen twice. The National Gallery version was stolen in 1994 and the MUNCH museum's pastel version was taken at gunpoint in 2004. Both were recovered, but the thefts made global headlines.
• A pastel version sold for nearly $120 million. In May 2012, the 1895 pastel version was auctioned at Sotheby's in New York for $119.9 million, setting a world record for the most expensive artwork sold at auction at the time.
• The red sky may have been caused by a volcanic eruption. Some scientists theorize that the vivid crimson skies Munch described were caused by atmospheric effects from the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia, which produced spectacular sunsets across Europe for months.
• The figure is not screaming. Munch's diary makes clear that the figure is not producing the scream but rather hearing it — “an infinite scream passing through nature.” The figure is covering its ears and reacting to the overwhelming sound.
• It inspired the emoji and horror movies. The Scream's open-mouthed figure directly inspired the Ghostface mask in Wes Craven's Scream film franchise (1996) and the widely used “face screaming in fear” emoji.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is The Scream located?

The most famous version (1893) is at the National Gallery (Nasjonalmuseet) in Oslo, Norway. Another painted version (1910) is at the MUNCH museum, also in Oslo. A pastel version is in a private collection.

Who painted The Scream?

Norwegian artist Edvard Munch created The Scream in 1893. He made four versions of the composition between 1893 and 1910.

What does The Scream mean?

The Scream expresses a moment of overwhelming existential anxiety — what Munch described as sensing “an infinite scream passing through nature.” It is widely interpreted as a universal symbol of modern human anxiety, alienation, and dread.

Is the figure in The Scream male or female?

The figure is deliberately androgynous and unidentifiable. Munch stripped away age, gender, and individual features to create a universal symbol of human suffering that any viewer can relate to.

How much is The Scream worth?

The 1895 pastel version sold at Sotheby's in 2012 for $119.9 million. The 1893 version at the National Gallery and the 1910 version at the MUNCH museum are national treasures considered priceless and not for sale.

What art movement does The Scream belong to?

The Scream is a foundational work of Expressionism, an art movement that prioritized emotional and psychological expression over realistic representation. Munch's radical use of color and distortion to convey inner experience was hugely influential on later Expressionist artists.