Woman (The Sphinx)

Woman (The Sphinx) is a significant lithograph on paper created by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (Norwegian, 1863-1944) in 1899, printed by the firm Petersen and Waitz. This print exemplifies the Symbolist concerns that dominated Munch’s output during the fin-de-siècle, exploring the intense psychological complexities surrounding human relationships and the perceived duality of feminine identity.

Munch embraced printmaking—particularly lithography—as a crucial medium for disseminating his powerful, often controversial, imagery. The stark, highly contrasted lines inherent to the lithographic technique lend a raw, emotional intensity to the composition, a key characteristic of the artist's visual language. The piece’s classification as a print confirms the artist's dedication to reproductive media, allowing his profound psychological studies to reach a wider audience than his paintings alone.

The title Woman (The Sphinx) directly references the mythological creature, transforming it into a modern archetype of enigmatic female power. This theme connects directly to Munch’s larger ongoing project, the Frieze of Life, which explored the universal experiences of love, anxiety, and death. Although originating in Norway, the work's expressive treatment of universal existential themes resonated across Europe, cementing Munch's international reputation as a pioneer of Expressionism.

Currently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, this work remains a central example of turn-of-the-century prints. Because of its age and profound cultural importance, high-resolution images of this piece are frequently released for study under public domain initiatives, ensuring its accessibility for scholars worldwide.