Artwork
The Girls on the Bridge
The Girls on the Bridge is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1927 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1927, The Girls on the Bridge is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Executed in a post‑impressionist idiom, the work is part of the Munch Museum’s permanent collection. It presents three young women positioned on a wooden bridge, gazing toward a distant waterway under a pale sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a quiet moment of everyday life, with the figures turned away from the viewer, suggesting introspection or a shared contemplation of the landscape beyond. Their long dresses and hats, combined with the muted background, convey a sense of anonymity that invites reflection on the collective experience of youth and transition.
Technique & Style
Munch employs loose, gestural brushwork for the figures, allowing color and form to merge in a dynamic rhythm. In contrast, the backdrop, marked by a darker silhouette that may be a tree or structure, is rendered with finer texture, creating depth. The vivid palette and energetic strokes emphasize emotional resonance over precise detail.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the holdings of the Munch Museum in Oslo, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s effort to assemble a comprehensive record of Munch’s later output, illustrating the evolution of his expressive language beyond his earlier, more famous works.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian:; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
