Edvard Munch (1863-1944)

Edvard Munch created this lithographic poster for one of his earliest solo exhibitions in Christiana (Oslo) which took place shortly after his return from Paris, between 15th September and 17th October 1897. The image is inspired by his woodcut Man's Head in Woman's Hair (Woll 89) from the previous year, which he transferred to a lithographic stone, thereby reversing the subject. The motif of the artist being ensnared by the hair of a woman is a central theme in Munch's oeuvre, expressing a deep-seated fear of temptation and seduction. That Munch selected the image for this poster underlines just how important it was for the artist.

Early posters, being ephemeral objects, were usually not kept or cared for and are generally rare. Of the present work only four impressions are recorded in public collections, and we have not been able to trace another impression to have been offered at auction within the last thirty years.