Artwork
Bathing Men
Bathing Men is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1913 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1913, *Bathing Men* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The work shows a small group of nude male figures positioned on a shoreline, with two foreground men—one sporting a moustache and meeting the viewer’s gaze—set against a blue sky and distant water. It is part of the Munch Museum’s permanent collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a moment of communal bathing, emphasizing the physicality of the bodies and their interaction with the natural environment. By placing the figures in an open, sunlit setting, Munch invites contemplation of vulnerability, masculinity, and the fleeting nature of leisure, themes that recur throughout his oeuvre.
Technique & Style
Executed with loose, expressive brushwork, the painting employs vivid, saturated hues that convey a sense of movement and immediacy. Visible strokes and a fluid handling of paint create a dynamic surface, while the overall approach aligns with post‑impressionist tendencies toward emotional resonance over strict realism.
History & Provenance
Munch produced *Bathing Men* after a period of personal hardship and artistic experimentation, drawing on his earlier studies in Kristiania and his connections with contemporary radical thinkers. The work entered the Munch Museum’s collection, where it remains displayed as part of the institution’s effort to preserve the artist’s later period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
