Edvard Munch
1901-03
Oil paint on canvas
Street scenes were a recurring feature in Edvard Munch’s work. As with this painting, he often explored the private feelings of a figure placed in a very public setting. The young girl stares out of the picture intently, perhaps determined to separate herself from the boys behind her. She may also want to confront us as we enter the scene as viewers. She seems older and less playful than the other children in the street. Munch depicts her at a point of transition between childhood and adolescence – the different stages of life were also a favoured theme for the artist.