Stormy Night
1908-1909
Medium
woodcut in black on cream wove paper
Dimensions
block: 21.2 x 32.8 cm (8 3/8 x 12 15/16 in.) sheet: 35.1 x 50.2 cm (13 13/16 x 19 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
The Epstein Family Collection
Accession Number
2001.7.2
Art Historical Context
Edvard Munch, the Norwegian pioneer of Expressionism, captures raw emotional turmoil in *Stormy Night* (8–1909), a striking woodcut printed in black on cream wove. Best known for his iconic *The Scream*, Munch explored themes of anxiety,, and the sublime power of nature. This print, measuring 21.2 x 32.8 cm on the, evokes a tempestuous evening through dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, reflecting his lifelong fascination with psychological intensity and the human condition. Munch's mastery of the woodcut medium shines here, as he carved bold, simplified forms into the wood block to creat...
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...