Vampire II (Vampyr II)

Vampire II (Vampyr II) is a significant graphic work created by the renowned Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1895. This evocative print demonstrates Munch’s innovative and experimental approach to reproduction techniques, combining the precise linearity of lithography with the raw textural depth afforded by the woodcut medium. The artist utilized this technical duality to achieve a highly psychological and stylized visual expression characteristic of his fin-de-siècle output.

The composition centers on a dark-haired woman leaning over a man's neck while he appears to embrace her or bury his face in her body. The subject matter, which originally stemmed from an oil painting titled Love and Pain, explores complex themes of desire, emotional entanglement, and potential entrapment. Munch used these themes extensively throughout his career, positioning the work firmly within the Symbolist tradition prevalent among European artists during the 1890s. The stark use of deep black ink and the deliberate roughness introduced by the wood block reinforce the piece’s emotional and psychological intensity, reflecting the anxieties of the 1895–1902 period.

Munch developed several iterations of this motif, but the combination of media used in this print, along with the subsequent hand-coloring sometimes applied, showcases his mastery of graphic processes. The use of multiple printmaking forms allowed the artist to circulate his powerful imagery widely, cementing his status as a key figure in modern art. This particular iteration of the Vampire motif is considered one of the seminal Norwegian prints of the era. Today, this important work resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where it serves as a critical reference point for the study of modern printmaking techniques and Expressionist precursors.