Artwork
St. Bernhard Dog in Snow
St. Bernhard Dog in Snow 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. Created in 1913, this oil painting portrays a St.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1913, this oil painting portrays a St. Bernard set against a wintry landscape. The work belongs to the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo and reflects the post‑impressionist tendencies that marked Edvard Munch’s later period. The composition centers on the dog, whose lowered head and attentive nose suggest a quiet moment within the snow‑covered scene.
Subject & Meaning
The solitary St. Bernard, rendered in brown, white and a striking black patch over one eye, stands amid a soft expanse of snow. Its calm posture and focused sniffing convey a sense of contemplation, inviting viewers to consider the simple, meditative aspects of nature and the animal’s instinctive engagement with its environment.
Technique & Style
Munch employs a muted palette of blues and yellows to suggest the cold air, while the textured brushwork gives the dog’s fur a tactile quality. The contrast between the dense, layered strokes of the animal’s coat and the smoother, almost atmospheric background creates depth and emphasizes the tactile relationship between the figure and its surroundings.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced after Munch’s formal training at the Royal School of Art and Design in Oslo, a period that deepened his introspective approach. It entered the Munch Museum’s holdings, where it remains part of the institution’s effort to preserve works that illustrate the artist’s evolving style during the early 1910s.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
