The Day After

"The Day After" is a significant 1894 print created by Edvard Munch Norwegian, 1863-1944. This powerful image was produced using the demanding intaglio methods of drypoint and open bite on cream wove paper, showcasing Munch’s early mastery of printmaking. The technique allows for sharp, incised lines (drypoint) coupled with areas of broader tonal variation (open bite), lending a stark, immediate emotional quality to the composition.

As is typical of Munch's works exploring modern urban life and its psychological consequences, The Day After focuses on the theme of morning-after desolation. The composition centers on a young woman, likely in the wake of a nocturnal indulgence, indicated by the array of empty glasses and bottles abandoned on a table in the immediate foreground. This visual narrative reflects the growing tension and psychological distress prevalent in Symbolist and Expressionist art originating from Norway during the late 19th century. Munch frequently employed such charged domestic settings to examine alienation, exhaustion, and the private aftermath of public revelry, themes highly resonant with the fin-de-siècle period.

This work stands as an early and pivotal example within Munch's extensive output of prints. His innovative approach to graphic arts ensured that his powerful imagery, like this piece, reached a broad audience. Collected today by institutions worldwide, this impression resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The enduring nature of his prints means that many high-resolution images are now widely available and occasionally enter the public domain, making this essential contribution to modern European art accessible to researchers and enthusiasts globally.