Death in the Sickroom, 1896 (printed after 1906)
Lithograph on Japan paperexpand_more
The Miscellaneous Works of Art Purchase Fund, 1957expand_more P.12,550
Not on Viewexpand_more
Death in the Sickroom depicts the death from tuberculosis of the artist's sister Sophie in 1877. Standing behind his other two sisters in the foreground, Munch himself faces back towards the wicker chair where Sophie has just passed away. The immense feelings of despair over Sophie's death, an event that occured almost twenty years prior to the creation of this lithograph, is heightened by the stark black and white composition and the frozen poses of Munch's family. One of the most eloquent of Symbolist prints, it shows Munch's mastery in converting personal tragedy into a universal theme of death and mourning.
Details
- Title
- Death in the Sickroom
- Artist Life
- 1863 - 1944
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.12,550
- Provenance
- [Allan Frumkin Gallery, Inc, Chicago and New York, until 1957; sold December 20, for $1,350, to Mia]
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Schiefler 73; MM G 215; Woll 65 b/c
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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