Artwork
Käte and Hugo Perls
Käte and Hugo Perls 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, this oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch portrays the married couple Hugo and Käte Perls. Executed in a post‑impressionist manner, the work is part of the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo. The composition places the two figures side by side, each looking in a slightly different direction, set against a softly rendered background of muted pink and green tones.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures Hugo Perls in a dark green suit with a crisp white collar, his expression neutral, while his wife Käte appears in a bright red hat and a dark blue dress, her gaze lowered. The juxtaposition of the couple’s attire and demeanor suggests a formal yet intimate representation, reflecting the social standing of the sitters and Munch’s interest in the psychological presence of his subjects.
Technique & Style
Areas of saturated color, such as the vivid red of the hat, contrast with blended, softer passages in the background.
Munch employs loose, visible brushwork that gives the surface a textured, sketch‑like quality. Areas of saturated color, such as the vivid red of the hat, contrast with blended, softer passages in the background. The handling of paint is relatively thin, lacking the heavy impasto of later works, yet the overall effect conveys a sense of immediacy and emotional nuance characteristic of Munch’s post‑impressionist phase.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the portrait entered the private collection of the Perls family before being acquired by the Munch Museum, where it remains on display. The painting reflects Munch’s mature period, following his formal training at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania (now Oslo), during which he refined a style centered on emotional and psychological expression.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
