Artwork
Woman with Poppies
Woman with Poppies is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1918, Woman with Poppies is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Executed during the later phase of his career, the work is part of the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo. It exemplifies Munch’s continued interest in portraying inner states through vivid, non‑realistic color and form.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas shows a solitary woman standing amid a field of red poppies. She wears a dark dress and hat, her head bowed and arms folded, while her hair conceals her face. The posture and muted expression convey a mood of quiet contemplation, inviting viewers to consider the figure’s inner thoughts or emotional withdrawal.
Technique & Style
Munch employs bold, saturated hues, bright greens for the background and striking reds for the poppies, combined with loose, expressive brushwork. This approach aligns with post‑impressionist tendencies, using color and gesture to evoke feeling rather than to render a literal scene.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced shortly after World War I, a period when Munch was revisiting themes of anxiety and introspection. It entered the permanent holdings of the Munch Museum, where it remains accessible to the public as part of the artist’s core oeuvre.
Context
Munch’s early life, marked by illness and personal loss, shaped his lifelong preoccupation with psychological depth. By 1918 he was an established figure in Oslo’s bohemian circles, having studied at the Royal School of Art and Design. Woman with Poppies reflects his ongoing exploration of the human psyche through symbolic landscapes.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian:; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
