Young Woman on the Beach

Young Woman on the Beach is a highly expressive print created by Edvard Munch Norwegian, 1863-1944, in 1896. This work highlights Munch’s sophisticated approach to printmaking, demonstrating a commitment to color and complexity rarely seen in the medium at the time.

The print was meticulously executed using burnished aquatint and drypoint techniques. Munch utilized the demanding à la poupée method, selectively applying four distinct colors-purple, blue, gray, and yellow-to the plate before printing. This process allowed him to achieve rich, painterly effects and deep atmospheric variations on a single sheet of cream laid Arches paper, moving beyond the typical monochromatic limitations of early graphic art.

Created during a crucial phase of the artist's career, this piece reflects Munch’s vital contributions to Symbolism and Expressionism, establishing him as a central figure in Scandinavian modernism emanating from Norway. While the subject is a contemplative young woman situated in an evocative landscape, Munch utilizes the vibrant layering of color not merely for description, but to convey a profound sense of mood and psychological isolation characteristic of his oeuvre.

Munch’s mastery in translating his intensely emotional style into prints ensured his widespread influence. The existence of multiple states and unique color variations for Young Woman on the Beach attests to his experimental nature. Today, access to images of these crucial early prints is often facilitated through institutions, with many reproductions falling under the public domain, encouraging further study. This exceptional impression of the print is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.