Edvard Munch
1893-95
Oil paint on canvas
Edvard Munch was captivated by the evocative, eerie atmosphere of Nordic summer nights that he experienced in the
coastal town of Åsgårdstrand. Removed from the clarity of daylight, Munch’s nocturnal scenes are charged with clandestine possibility. This work was likely inspired by Munch’s memories of his affair with a married woman, Millie Thaulow. Here, a partially obscured female figure stands at her gate as the shadow of a man in a hat falls before her. Munch captures the sense of secrecy and anticipation of this rendezvous.