Ashes II (Aske II)

Ashes II (Aske II), created by Edvard Munch in 1899, is a significant work in the Norwegian artist’s graphic oeuvre, illustrating his mastery over expressive printmaking. Classified as a print, the piece was produced using lithography, subsequently enhanced by the unique application of hand-applied watercolor additions. This technique allowed the artist to introduce vibrant, individualized color nuances to the inherently stark medium of the lithograph, moving the work beyond simple graphic reproduction into a realm of expressive painting.

Munch often explored the dense psychological themes of passion, melancholic reflection, and existential anxiety in his visual narratives. Ashes II depicts a scene steeped in post-coital or post-emotional tension, leaving behind only the residue implied by the title. A disheveled woman stands prominently in the foreground, clutching her flowing, dark hair, while a shadow of a man or a male figure recoils into the darkness behind her. The composition powerfully suggests the aftermath of an intense encounter, symbolized by the swirling, organic forms that dominate the landscape. The colors added via the watercolor medium intensify the raw, primal emotion of the scene, emphasizing the vulnerability and emotional isolation of the figures.

As a leading exponent of Symbolism and Expressionism, Munch utilized his extensive practice of producing prints, including lithographs and woodcuts, as a means of articulating and disseminating his deeply personal iconography across various media. This work, dating from the pivotal year of 1899, serves as a powerful example of how the artist manipulated the printmaking medium to convey profound states of mind. Today, this iconic version of Ashes II is preserved in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, where it continues to be studied as a definitive document of late nineteenth-century psychological art.