Woman with Long Hair

Woman with Long Hair by Edvard Munch Norwegian, 1863-1944, is a potent example of the artist's engagement with graphic arts, executed during a period of intense creativity in his career. Created in 1896, this impression is an etching realized on cream laid paper. Munch, a foundational figure in both Symbolism and Expressionism, regularly utilized the reproducibility of prints as a crucial method for developing and disseminating the complex psychological themes that preoccupied his work, specifically those relating to isolation, love, and profound anxiety. This evocative work originated from Norway's burgeoning cultural output at the close of the nineteenth century.

The technique of etching allowed Munch to achieve characteristic stark contrasts and deeply bitten lines, lending an immediate, almost stark quality to the composition. The subject, a woman seen in profile, is visually dominated by the intense, flowing mass of her hair, which arcs dramatically around her figure. This characteristic emphasis on elemental female forms, often intertwined with themes of sexuality and melancholy, is central to Munch’s aesthetic. The lines defining her features are minimal but intensely expressive, focusing the viewer’s attention on her closed-off gaze and the heavy black shadowing surrounding her head. This powerful manipulation of black and white reinforces the emotional weight found in the artist's finest prints.

Created just four years after his iconic painting The Scream, this piece exemplifies Munch’s ability to condense complex emotional states into simplified, yet searingly impactful, visual imagery. While much of the artist’s oeuvre is now considered to be in the public domain, original impressions remain vital for the scholarly study of his mastery in graphic media. This significant print, classified under the culture of Norway, is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.