In the Male Brain (Imannens hjerne)
1897
Medium
woodcut, printed in red
Dimensions
image: 37.2 × 56.9 cm (14 5/8 × 22 3/8 in.) sheet: 48.3 × 63.8 cm (19 × 25 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Epstein Family Collection
Accession Number
2021.101.6
Art Historical Context
Edvard Munch's *In the Male Brain (annens hjerne)*, created in 1897, is a striking woodcut printed in vivid red, exemplifying the Norwegian artist's pioneering role in Expressionism and Symbolism. Munch, best known for his iconic *The Scream*, delved deeply into psychological themes like anxiety, love, and the human condition during the fin-de-siècle era. This print, with its provocative title, reflects his fascination with the inner turmoil of the mind, particularly the enigmatic influence of women on male psyche—a recurring motif in his oeuvre amid Europe's cultural shift toward introspectio...
About the Artist
Edvard Munch · 1863–1944
Edvard Munch (1863-1944) was a Norwegian painter and printmaker whose intensely psychological works made him a pioneer of Expressionism and one of the most influential artists of the modern era. His 1893 masterpiece 'The Scream' has become an iconic symbol of existential anxiety. Munch's art was profoundly shaped by personal tragedy—his mother died when he was five, his beloved sister Sophie at fo...