The Sick Child (Det syke barn I)

The Sick Child (Det syke barn I) is a powerful drypoint print created by Edvard Munch in 1894 and published the following year, 1895. This deeply personal Norwegian work re-examines a theme central to Munch’s artistic output: the enduring pain and trauma associated with childhood illness and loss. Munch’s lifelong preoccupation with mortality stemmed from the premature death of his mother and sister, making works like this not merely observational studies, but intense psychological self-portraits rendered through the depiction of others.

As a drypoint, the print is characterized by the rich, velvety quality of the burr-created lines, which contrast sharply with the looser, more agitated scratching marks that define the figures. Munch utilized this technique to render the scene with raw intensity. The composition focuses intimately on the profile of a young girl, presumably sick or dying, propped up in a bed, and the somber figure attending to her, often interpreted as the artist’s aunt or mother figure. The girl’s face is fragile and skeletal, contrasted sharply by the heavy, dark shadow cast by the seated caregiver, who clasps her hands in grief or anxiety. The composition emphasizes the isolating nature of suffering, creating a palpable tension between the afflicted and the witness.

This piece is closely related to Munch’s earlier, equally famous oil paintings and lithographs addressing the same painful subject. Its production date of 1894, published 1895, places the work at a time when Munch was fully establishing his signature Expressionist style across various media. The psychological depth and formal intensity found in his prints cemented his reputation as a transformative figure in modern art. The work avoids sentimentality, instead delivering a raw depiction of emotional distress through minimalist setting and expressive linework. Today, this iconic print resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, preserving a crucial example of Munch’s mastery in printmaking and his contribution to the representation of human vulnerability.