Edvard Munch, the Norwegian symbolist and painter has created many masterpieces but The Scream is perhaps the best known amongst them. The painter had created four versions of the famous painting and three of them are with the Norwegian museum collections. The fourth and the only one in private hands is set to go under the hammer at the Sotheby’s auction event in May this year. It has created a buzz in the fine art circles and the pre sales estimates place the value of the painting in the range of $80 to $100 million which will make it one of the most expensive paintings.
The auction will see other paintings by the famous painter including a self portrait and The Madonna. The Scream has grown to become an icon as it symbolizes the stressful life of a modern man. The valuable painting depicts a bald man clutching his head while standing on top of a bridge. The sky below has been painted red to represent the stressful times we live in today. The painting has become part of the popular culture and is amongst the best known pieces of art around the world.
Simon Shaw, senior vice president and head of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art department in New York considers this painting to be one of the most important works of art in private hands. He believes that if the recent trend is anything to go by then the painting could command a price far in excess of $80 million. The current owner of the painting Petter Olsen has inherited the painting from his father who was a neighbor and patron of Edvard Munch. The auction is set to see some unprecedented action as there is a charitable element to it also. The proceeds from the sale will be used for building an art museum and hotel in Norway.
