Artwork
The Artist 'Sultan Abdul Karem'
The Artist 'Sultan Abdul Karem' is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1916, this oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch portrays a seated figure identified as Sultan Abdul Karem. Executed in a post‑impressionist idiom, the work measures roughly a typical portrait size and is presently displayed at the Munch Museum in Oslo. It reflects Munch’s ongoing interest in psychological portraiture during the later phase of his career.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a dark‑skinned man with short black hair, dressed in a green high‑collared shirt beneath a dark jacket. His expression is solemn, eyes directed forward, suggesting a contemplative or authoritative presence. The formal attire and composed demeanor hint at a professional or ceremonial role, aligning with the title’s reference to a sultan.
Technique & Style
Munch employs vigorous brushwork and a saturated palette, juxtaposing blues, yellows, and whites in the background against the richer tones of the figure’s clothing. The bold strokes convey a sense of immediacy, while the vivid colors heighten emotional tension, characteristic of his post‑impressionist approach to rendering inner states through surface effects.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the portrait entered Munch’s personal collection and was later transferred to the Munch Museum, where it remains part of the permanent holdings. The painting has not been recorded in major exhibitions beyond the museum’s own displays, and its provenance is straightforward, tracing directly from the artist to the institution.
Context
The work emerges from a period when Munch, influenced by contemporary philosophical currents and his own personal hardships, sought to depict psychological realities rather than external likenesses. By 1916 he had already embraced a more expressionistic language, using color and form to externalize inner experience, a method evident in this portrait.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
