Spring Day on Karl Johan

Edvard Munch

1890

Oil paint on canvas

Edvard Munch depicts Oslo’s main boulevard in an array of shimmering colours using numerous dashes of paint. Prominently
placed in the foreground, a woman in blue holding a red parasol and seen from behind looks at the promenading crowds. With his use of bright light, Munch creates a dazzling and almost dream-like effect. This work was inspired by the techniques of the French Impressionists, which Munch experimented with for a short period. Some Norwegian critics found his Impressionist approach baffling or even unhealthy and nicknamed him ‘Bizzarro’.

KODE Bergen Art Museum

Gift from Bergen Art Society, 1925