Artwork
Building Workers in the Studio
Building Workers in the Studio is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1920, *Building Workers in the Studio* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The work is part of the Munch Museum’s permanent collection and exemplifies the post‑impressionist phase of Munch’s career. It presents a compact interior scene where three laborers are engaged in construction tasks, illuminated by daylight from a large window.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows three male figures amid a workshop filled with timber beams. One figure climbs a ladder, while the others stand on the floor, one turned away from the viewer. The setting suggests a blend of manual labor and artistic creation, reflecting Munch’s interest in the everyday worker as a participant in the creative process.
Technique & Style
Munch employs vigorous brushwork and a palette of saturated hues that convey movement and vitality. The contrast between the bright natural light entering through the window and the darker interior surfaces heightens the sense of activity. The painter’s handling of form remains loose, aligning with post‑impressionist tendencies toward expressive color over strict realism.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the holdings of the Munch Museum in Oslo, where it remains on display alongside many of the artist’s other works. The museum’s acquisition reflects its mission to preserve the full range of Munch’s output, from his early symbolist pieces to later, more socially oriented scenes such as this one.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
