Artwork
Portrait of Female Model
Portrait of Female Model is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1928 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum. Created in 1928, this oil painting presents a seated woman rendered with muted yet vivid tones.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1928, this oil painting presents a seated woman rendered with muted yet vivid tones. The figure’s dark hair is gathered back, and she wears a yellow garment that contrasts with a background of blended greens, blues and browns. The work resides in the permanent collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is identified as Hildur Christensen, depicted with a downcast gaze and a restrained mouth, suggesting introspection or quiet resignation. Munch’s focus on the psychological interior of his models aligns with his broader interest in conveying emotional states through facial expression and posture rather than narrative detail.
Technique & Style
Executed with loose, expressive brushwork, the portrait employs bold color juxtapositions typical of Munch’s post‑impressionist phase. The handling of paint gives the facial features a soft, almost blurred quality, while the surrounding hues are applied in broader strokes that hint at an impasto texture, enhancing the work’s emotional immediacy.
History & Provenance
Edvard Munch, a Norwegian artist whose early career was shaped by personal loss and formal study at Kristiania’s Royal School of Art and Design, painted this piece during a period of mature experimentation. After remaining in the artist’s estate, the portrait entered the collection of the Munch Museum, where it has been displayed as part of the institution’s effort to represent the breadth of his portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
