Underdrawings Reveal First Version of Munch's Madonna at National Museum of Norway

The National Museum of Norway has discovered that the version of Edvard Munch's Madonna in its collection is the first of five painted between 1894 and 1897. Conservator Thierry Ford and photographer Børre Høstland used infrared reflectography to reveal preparatory drawings beneath the painting's surface. These underdrawings show Munch experimenting with the positioning of the Madonna's arms, confirming the work as the earliest version, completed in 1894. The painting, subtitled 'Elskend kvinde' ('Woman Making Love'), caused scandal when shown in Kristiania (Oslo) in 1895 due to its erotic subject. Curator Vibeke Waallann Hansen noted that erotic themes were unprecedented in Norwegian art at the time. The discovery was made during preparations for the museum's new building, which opens June 11, 2022, in Oslo. Director Karin Hindsbo emphasized the importance of research collaboration and the advanced technical facilities in the new museum. Madonna, along with The Scream and The Dance of Life, will be displayed in a dedicated Munch gallery. The Munch Museum in Oslo recently opened as well.