My coverage through the Musée d’Orsay has mostly been chronological. However, I’m adjusting the posts to organize the artwork together. My wife and I were ready to leave and hit the gift shop near the exit. I saw the famous scream design on souvenirs. Surprised, I asked the store clerk about it.

A special exhibit called “Edvard Munch. A Poem of Life, Love and Death” was at the museum from September 20, 2022 to January 22, 2023. We had missed that section exploring the larger-than-expected facility. We doubled back.

Research revealed there were multiple versions of this Norwegian painter’s famous work. Munch’s first versions were in color, using tempera, oils, and pastels. This black and white variation is a lithograph from 1895, one of about fifty.

This undated variation was drawn in ink and remarkably looks even more haunting than the more famous painting.

I don’t necessarily like these works, but they are memorable and iconic, and I’m glad I saw them in person. I prefer my art to be more uplifting, but there’s a certain meme-able quality of this artwork.

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