Scientific American
The Scream Holds a Hidden Message
Open speculation about his mental health plagued the artist Edvard Munch. In his most famous work, he left a biting commentary
The Scream was determined to have been written by the artist himself. Credit: Børre Høstland
“
Kan kun være malet af en gal Mand!” (“Can only have been painted by a madman!”) appears on Norwegian artist Edvard Munch’s most famous painting
The inscription has always been visible to the naked eye, but the infrared images helped to more clearly distinguish the writing from its background. Comparing it with the artist’s handwriting then clearly proved Munch’s authorship.
By Sophie Lewis
February 23, 2021 / 7:01 AM / CBS News
Barely visible in the top left-hand corner of one of the world s most famous paintings are the words, Could only have been painted by a madman! For years, curators and art historians have wondered who wrote it.
After decades of debate, experts confirmed this week that the artist himself, Edvard Munch, is responsible for the inscription on his most famous work, The Scream.
According to The National Museum of Norway, a Danish art critic first noticed the inscription during an exhibition in Copenhagen in 1904 thinking that a member of the public had written it as an act of vandalism.
Painted By A Madman : Mysterious Message On The Scream Was Written By Edvard Munch Himself, Experts Reveal news9.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from news9.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For decades, the art world has wondered who scrawled the message, "Could only have been painted by a madman!" on one of the world's most famous paintings.
For decades, the art world has wondered who scrawled the message, "Could only have been painted by a madman!" on one of the world's most famous paintings.