Masterpieces as Climate Archives: From Munch's Sky to Brueghel's Ice
Malika Bauwens' latest series in Beaux Arts Magazine delves into renowned artworks as historical climate records. Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' (1893) showcases a sky influenced by the 1883 Krakatoa eruption. Researcher Helene Muri posits that it might symbolize 'nacreous clouds' resulting from ozone depletion. The piece also examines works by 17th-century Flemish and Dutch artists, such as Pieter Brueghel the Elder's 'Hunters in the Snow' (1565), which mirrors the 'Little Ice Age' (1300-1850) and reflects national identity amid the Dutch revolt. Additionally, Jan Brueghel the Elder's 'L'Air' (1611) illustrates over 60 bird species, with a 2026 study affirming the behavior of a noctule bat depicted in the artwork. The article contends that naturalistic art functions as ecological documentation.
Key facts
- Beaux Arts Magazine series by Malika Bauwens answers ten questions about art and climate.
- Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' (1893) depicts a red sky possibly linked to the 1883 Krakatoa eruption.
- Helene Muri suggests the sky in 'The Scream' could be 'nacreous clouds' related to ozone depletion.
- Pieter Brueghel the Elder's 'Hunters in the Snow' (1565) is considered the first winter landscape painting.
- Alexis Metzger analyzed 500 Dutch Golden Age paintings and found frozen winters in only 16.8% of them.
- Jan Brueghel the Elder's 'L'Air' (1611) includes over 60 European bird species and is at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon.
- A 2026 PNAS study identified a noctule bat capturing a bird in flight in 'L'Air', a behavior confirmed by science only in 2025.
- Naturalistic paintings can serve as ecological archives to measure biodiversity decline.
- The article is part of a series on questions about art, available on Beaux Arts Magazine's website.
- The series includes links to related articles on meteorology and the Little Ice Age.
Entities
Artists
- Edvard Munch
- Pieter Brueghel the Elder
- Hendrick Avercamp
- Adam van Breen
- Gijsbrecht Leytens
- Jan Brueghel the Elder
- Malika Bauwens
Institutions
- Beaux Arts Magazine
- University of Texas
- PNAS
- Kunsthistorisches Museum
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
- Galleria Doria Pamphilj
Locations
- Norway
- Indonesia
- Krakatoa
- Vienna
- Austria
- Lyon
- France
- Rome
- Italy