Edvard Munch 1863-1944

An extremely rare early printing of this important woodcut, from three blocks, printed in bluish grey and black, touched with grey wash, 1899, Woll's second state of eight before the split in the upper block above the woman's head and before the diagonal lines appeared in the printing of the sea, signed in pencil, inscribed Nil Holst Halvorsen.  Velkommen op fra sygeleiet Edv. Munch/ Prøvetryk (To Holst Halvorsen.  Welcome up from your sickbed Edv. Munch/ Trial proof), a proof impression, probably printed by Lasally circa 1906, a narrow border at the left and right un-inked (masked), on a large sheet of sturdy wove paper, with a deckle edge on three sides, in good condition apart from slight  light-staining, a short (55mm) repaired tear in lower margin well away from image, two small skinned patches in upper margin associated with previous mounting

Ex coll: Harald Holst Halvorsen, with his collectors stamp lower right recto

For a similar impression see Fogg Art  Museum, Harvard; Epstein collection.

The Lonely Ones  is one of Munch’s most remarkable symbolist works, representing the themes of loss and separation that are central to his oeuvre. The tremendous impact of the present lot is created by Munch cutting meaning into the matrix itself. The work is developed by sawing the wooden block into three separate parts. These have then been reassembled like a jigsaw puzzle and printed. The body of the woman is sawn out and printed from a separate piece of wood, powerfully expressing the emotional and compositional estrangement of the two figures. The male figure forms part of the rocky shore, rooted in his natural environment, emphasising the loneliness of the separate domains that man and woman are destined to inhabit.

The present rare proof impression is an early rendering of the image.  In the context of other examples of the subject, it is part of a narrative created through variations in the inking, colouring and the degree of pressure applied to the block. This impression is of further significance as it is inscribed by Munch to Harald Holst Halvorsen. The warmth of the inscription reveals the close friendship between the artist and Halvorsen that originated in the 1920's. In addition Halvorsen is important as a pre-eminent collector and dealer in Munch’s work during the artist’s lifetime.