Artwork
The Girls on the Bridge
The Girls on the Bridge is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1927 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1927, *The Girls on the Bridge* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Executed in a post‑impressionist idiom, the work is part of the Munch Museum’s permanent collection. It presents three young women positioned on a wooden bridge, gazing toward a distant waterway under a pale sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a quiet moment of everyday life, with the figures turned away from the viewer, suggesting introspection or a shared contemplation of the landscape beyond. Their long dresses and hats, combined with the muted background, convey a sense of anonymity that invites reflection on the collective experience of youth and transition.
Technique & Style
Munch employs loose, gestural brushwork for the figures, allowing color and form to merge in a dynamic rhythm. In contrast, the backdrop—marked by a darker silhouette that may be a tree or structure—is rendered with finer texture, creating depth. The vivid palette and energetic strokes emphasize emotional resonance over precise detail.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the holdings of the Munch Museum in Oslo, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s effort to assemble a comprehensive record of Munch’s later output, illustrating the evolution of his expressive language beyond his earlier, more famous works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
