The Workers Return Home
- Original dimensions
- 138.5 x 79.5 cm
Scene depicted
In this iconic painting, Munch depicts a scene of the daily routine of workers returning home. Their dark silhouettes, in contrast to the vibrant background, evoke a deep melancholy and a quest for comfort in a harsh world. This pictorial work not only expresses the external reality but also delves into the intimacy of feelings and memories related to laborious life.
Historical context
Œuvre : The Workers Return Home |BRK| Artiste : Edvard Munch |BRK| Année : 1920 |BRK| Musée : National Gallery of Oslo |BRK| Dimensions : 138.5 x 79.5 cm |BRK| Expositions majeures : Edvard Munch . Monumental projects |BRK|
Place in the artist's career
The Workers Return Home represents a significant milestone in Munch's artistic evolution, illustrating his ability to capture the human condition. Compared to other masterpieces such as The Scream and Madonna , this canvas is part of his peak period, where emotion precedes technique, and where each brushstroke sings the melancholy of existence.
Anecdote
Edvard Munch once stated: “The true life is the one we live every day, behind the facades of society.” This reflection resonates strongly with the feelings captured in The Workers Return Home . Imagine the thrill of a spring evening, when tired workers, the golden light of dusk dancing on their faces, return home after a long day of labor - a moment imbued with serenity and fragility.