Maddening mystery of The Scream solved

[mellowyellow]

Edvard Munch’s first painted version of The Scream includes a faint inscription, circled, which has now been analysed by experts using infrared scans. BORRE HOSTLAND/THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NORWAY

For a century the graffiti was thought to have been the scream of a critic offended by the “abnormality” of Edvard Munch’s art.

A conservation project on The Scream has, however, confirmed that Munch himself scrawled “can only have been painted by a madman” in pencil on his most famous painting.

Infrared scanning of the first painted version of the artwork has drawn a match between the tiny lettering and documents written by the Norwegian artist. Source: The Times

 

[Aunt Marg]

This painting has always had a way of drawing me in.

All sorts of thoughts run through my mind when looking at it.

 

[mellowyellow]

This painting has always had a way of drawing me in.

All sorts of thoughts run through my mind when looking at it.

Me too Aunt Marg, once seen, never forgotten.

 

[Gaer]

Most interesting!

 

[mellowyellow]

I wonder what it is with creative people, some of the most famous artists seem to have tortured minds, including our own Australian artist Brett Whiteley whose pictures sell for a fortune.

 

[Aunt Marg]

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I wonder what it is with creative people, some of the most famous artists seem to have tortured minds, including our own Australian artist Brett Whiteley whose pictures sell for a fortune.

I believe there to be truth behind your words, Mellow, related to some artists possessing dark thoughts and translating them into their works.