In this series, the curatorial team presents one work from the Meural art library we find essential. (See all installments.)

Edvard Munch’s The Scream is one of the most recognizable paintings of all time, and a neat, if harrowing, example of the symbolism with which the artist is most frequently identified.

But in truth, Munch was a relentless experimenter, whose oeuvre defies easy categorization. This week I’ve been entirely captivated by what he referred to as his ‘self-scrutinies.’ And what has fascinated me is how these self portraits range from the confessional, even documentary (like this one, painted while recuperating from emotional stress in the Copenhagen clinic of Dr Daniel Jacobson), to the fictionalized and psychological. Taken together, Munch’s self portraits reveal not only his confidence in an extraordinary variety of styles (from naturalism through to expressionism), but also the unique way in which he brought his own emotions and experience—personal tragedy, depression, and even alcoholism—to bear on his work.

“I have an old camera with which I have taken countless pictures of myself, often with amazing results … Someday when I am old, and I have nothing better to do than write my autobiography, all my self-portraits will see the light of day again.”

Munch experimented with focal point and exposure in his photography, which often resulted in strange compositions and ghostly apparitions. He brought a similar kind of discord and drama to his painted work.

“For as long as I can remember I have suffered from a deep feeling of anxiety which I have tried to express in my art.”

“Sickness, insanity, and death were the dark angels standing guard at my cradle and they have followed me throughout my life.”

— Poppy Simpson, Head of Curation