Artwork
Cabbage Field
Cabbage Field is an oil painting by Edvard Munch. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1915, *Cabbage Field* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The work shows a cultivated landscape of cabbage rows extending toward a muted horizon, rendered in the painter’s characteristic emphasis on mood over literal representation. It belongs to the permanent collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a simple agrarian scene: orderly green stalks under a low, cloud‑filled sky. Though the subject is modest, the composition invites quiet reflection, suggesting a contemplative relationship between human labor and the natural world. The subdued atmosphere encourages viewers to linger on the subtle interplay of light and space.
Technique & Style
Munch applies thick, expressive brushwork to the foreground foliage, creating a tactile surface that contrasts with smoother, more atmospheric treatment of the distant sky. A restrained palette of greens, greys and occasional blue hues builds depth, while the handling of paint emphasizes texture and emotional resonance rather than precise detail.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Munch Museum’s holdings shortly after the artist’s death, becoming part of the institution’s effort to consolidate his oeuvre. It has remained on display in the museum’s permanent galleries, serving as a representative example of Munch’s later landscape work.
Context
*Cabbage Field* belongs to a period when Munch turned away from overtly symbolic subjects toward more everyday scenes, yet retained his focus on inner feeling. Executed during World War I, the work’s calm tone can be read as a quiet counterpoint to the broader turmoil of the era, reflecting a personal search for stability.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
