Taken by Surprise
- Original dimensions
- 111 x 85.5 cm
- Museum
- Munch Museum
- Year
- 1907
Scene depicted
The painting “Taken by Surprise” depicts a vibrant scene of emotions where a human figure finds itself completely caught off guard. The contrast between the softness of the tones and the intensity of the expressions evokes a universal feeling of vulnerability. Munch, with precision, captures the fleeting moment where joy and anxiety meet, making this canvas a poignant reflection on the human condition.
Historical context
Created in 1907, this painting emblematic was born in the vibrant city of Oslo, then a bustling cultural center of Europe, rooted in the expressionist movement. The canvas , currently housed in the Munch Museum, manifests as a powerful witness of a time when human emotions are laid bare, at the peak of the resonance of modern artistic currents.
Place in the artist's career
This canvas marks a decisive turning point in Munch's career, indicating a manifest stylistic maturity. Alongside other pictorial works such as “The Scream” and “The Madonna,” “Taken by Surprise” reveals Munch's evolution towards a deeper exploration of human emotions and vibrant colors, developing his unique technique, where each nuance tells a story.
Anecdote
“Art must be a cry of the soul,” said Munch, describing the impetus that drove him to immortalize this fleeting moment. On a cold winter morning, a figure freezes in a scene of surprise, between laughter and tears, captured as a brief instant on the canvas . This painting then becomes the mirror of universal anxiety, revealing the emotional force that inhabits all his work.
Major exhibitions
Munch og Warnemünde: 1907-1908