Portrait of Andreas Schwarz

Portrait of Andreas Schwarz is a striking print created by the renowned Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1906, although this specific edition was formally published later in 1922. Classified as a drypoint, this piece exemplifies Munch’s mastery of graphic media, utilizing the technique of incising lines directly into a metal plate. The resulting image features the characteristic fuzzy burr surrounding the lines, lending a raw, immediate quality to the sitter’s depiction.

Created during a pivotal and productive period in Munch’s artistic trajectory, the work captures the sitter, Andreas Schwarz, with the intense psychological penetration for which the artist is famous. The stark, concentrated linework emphasizes the structure of the face and the subject’s serious expression, placing this print firmly within the European Expressionist movement. The period of creation in 1906 and the subsequent publication in 1922 highlight the meticulous, often delayed, process involved in the production and dissemination of Munch’s graphic oeuvre.

As the leading figure of Norwegian modernism, Munch often utilized printmaking to replicate and amplify his themes of isolation, anxiety, and profound emotion. Drypoints, lithographs, and woodcuts became crucial vehicles for his vision, ensuring his powerful imagery transcended the limited reach of his paintings.

This specific impression of the print, Portrait of Andreas Schwarz, resides in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Its presence there affirms its importance in the history of 20th-century prints and modern portraiture. Like many historically significant prints from this era, impressions of this work are highly valued, and digital copies often become part of the public domain, offering broad access to Munch’s influential contributions to modern art.