Neutralia

"Neutralia" is a major color lithograph created by the renowned Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944) in 1915. This print was meticulously produced on paper in collaboration with the Oslo-based printers Halvorsen and Larsen. The strategic use of the color lithography technique allowed Munch to achieve the vivid, psychological intensity associated with his expressionist oeuvre through a reproducible graphic medium.

The work’s creation date, 1915, positions it squarely within the turmoil of the First World War. While the title directly references the precarious status of Norway as a neutral nation during the conflict, Munch imbues the scene with an underlying tension common to his lifelong artistic explorations of modern anxiety. This piece serves as a potent example of how Munch utilized the print classification not just for reproduction, but as a primary artistic form for urgent social commentary rooted in his native culture of Norway.

Throughout his career, Munch excelled at leveraging the accessible nature of prints to disseminate his powerful, symbolic imagery widely. The enduring historical importance of Neutralia ensures its continued study within the context of Scandinavian modernism. Prints created by Munch are central to understanding late 19th and early 20th-century European graphic arts. This definitive work is now part of the extensive holdings of the Art Institute of Chicago, a collection that aids in making high-quality images, including those available through public domain archives, accessible to researchers worldwide.