Artwork
White Horse in a Green Meadow
White Horse in a Green Meadow is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1917, *White Horse in a Green Meadow* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The work depicts a solitary white horse positioned in a verdant field, its head lowered and tail trailing, set against a backdrop of trees and water. The composition is held in the Munch Museum’s permanent collection.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure—a white horse—dominates the canvas, its subdued posture suggesting introspection or melancholy. The surrounding meadow, rendered in muted greens and blues, frames the animal without distracting detail, inviting contemplation of the creature’s inner state within a tranquil yet ambiguous landscape.
Technique & Style
Munch employs a loose, expressive brushwork that leaves visible strokes, characteristic of his post‑impressionist approach. The palette is restrained, favoring soft greens, blues, and the stark white of the horse, while the handling of paint conveys texture and movement, especially in the flowing tail and foliage.
History & Provenance
The painting emerged after Munch’s formative years at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania and his exposure to the ideas of nihilist writer Hans Jæger, influences that shaped his focus on psychological themes. Since its creation, the work has remained within the Munch Museum, forming part of the artist’s broader oeuvre housed there.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
