Edvard Munch
Portrait of Irmgard Steinbart
1913
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One of the most influential artists of the turn of the twentieth century, Edvard Munch departed from conventions of realism through the dynamic compositions and affective palette of his paintings and prints. Many of his allegorical works of the 1890s evoke interior states, including extremes of passion and anguish. Munch also executed commissioned portraits, such as this life-size painting of Irmgard Steinbart, the daughter of a wealthy German banker. Steinbart’s body is elongated and dominates the pictorial space of the canvas. Gazing off to the side, hands clasped loosely, she displays a pensive expression possibly bordering on melancholy. The broken brushwork and vivid colors seem to vibrate across the surface of her dress, while the swirling strokes of the verdant landscape create a somewhat unsettling atmosphere in counterpart to the figure’s interior state. The visible brushwork also leaves traces of the artist’s hand, which is sometimes seen as indexical of the artist’s own subjective response to his subject. [Permanent collection label, 2017]
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Artist
Edvard Munch
(Norwegian, 1863–1944)
- Title Portrait of Irmgard Steinbart
- Date 1913
- Medium Oil on canvas
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Dimensions
unframed | 69 3/4 x 34 5/8 in.
- Credit line Gift of Morton J. May, 1968
- Object number WU 4392
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Technique
oil painting
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Work type
painting
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Kunst-Salon Fritz Gurlitt (Berlin, Germany), 02/01/1914 - 02/28/1914
1968
Morton J. May, St. Louis
Inscription Recto, lower right corner, in red paint:
This artwork record may be incomplete or need refinement. Our staff actively researches the collection and revises records when new information is available. If you have questions or comments about this record, please contact us.
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