This mid-20th-century lithograph is after Edvard Munch’s (1863-1944) woodcut, Two Human Beings, The Lonely Ones. Produced in 1960, it’s a limited edition authorised by the artist’s family and the Munch Museum.
A woman in white stands solemnly by the shore with back turned - gazing across the sea in a moment of abstract perpetuity. A man in black with head down appears to be moving towards her - but is he? The beach is strewn with forms which appear organic, almost cellular. While the water lacks depth and could be mistaken for a vast blue wall of insurmountable force. Munch’s complex relationship with women is evident here. The tension, the beauty, the mystery, the allure, and the ultimate pain.
Munch created numerous versions of this scene using an interesting technique of sawing woodblocks and then placing them back together like a jigsaw. This allowed for various colours to be used and made it easier to explore different variations of the same underlying theme. The original woodcut used three blocks - the shore and man, the woman, and the sea.
Framed and glazed. Limited edition. Signed in the plate.
Medium: Lithograph on paper
Overall size: 29” x 24” / 74cm x 61cm
Year of creation: 1960
Condition: Artwork presents well.
