Was Munch's 'The Scream' Covered in Bird Poop? Scientists Examine Mysterious Stains on the Painting
Is Edvard Munch's most famous work, "The Scream," covered in bird droppings? Although the question may seem absurd, it actually tells an extraordinary story of the Norwegian master's creative eccentricity, who often chose the open air as his studio, exposing his works to a rather profound communion with nature. After years of analysis, the Munch Museum in Oslo can finally dispel the myth surrounding one of the artist's most important works.
Edvard Munch's unusual approach to painting and preserving his works has led conservators to struggle to find remnants of nature on his canvases to this day – from dog paw prints to wax streaks.
As it turns out, artistic genius does not always go hand in hand with attention to archiving. While most artists treated the landscape as a backdrop for the characters in the scenes, for Munch the landscape was a carrier of emotions.
More than half of his oeuvre consists of landscapes, which – as the curators of the Munch Museet in Oslo explain – reflect states of mind, anxiety and mental tension.
The Scream - Edvard Munch ca. 1893 / Munch Museum in Oslo, photo: Getty ImagesThe painter worked on his 45-acre estate Ekely near Oslo . There, he not only painted outdoors – which was not uncommon in itself – but also stored his works… outside. Some of the paintings were found after his death in a dramatic state. One of the canvases – “Workers in the Snow” – was found in the garden, partially frozen in a melting snowball. Others showed signs of damage caused by water, dogs, insects, and, according to urban legends, birds.
It was these stories that led to the birth of the famous theory about bird droppings on "The Scream". Four versions of this masterpiece (including one in pastel and one on cardboard) were created over the years and are considered among the most important works of expressionism.
In 2016, a team of scientists from the University of Antwerp decided to take a closer look at one of the 1893 versions to dispel doubts about the white spots visible on the surface of the painting.
The Scream by Edvard Munch - Scientists Investigate Mysterious Spots on the PaintingUsing X-rays , the researchers determined that these were not traces of bird activity, but… candle wax. As Dr. Geert Van der Snickt, responsible for the analysis, explained:
"the composition of bird droppings depends on the animal's diet, but I sincerely doubt that Munch's creation would be sprayed by wax-loving birds."
Furthermore, cardboard would not survive years of exposure to such highly corrosive organic substances.
Munch Museum in Oslo - a place that lives with Munch's artAlthough the bird theories may be dismissed as fairy tales, Edvard Munch did indeed approach his works in a rather original way. Working outdoors, leaving canvases unprotected, experimenting with materials – all this created a unique atmosphere in his work. At the same time, it presented today's museums, including the impressive Munch Museet in Oslo, with a huge conservation challenge.
The museum, moved in 2021 to a modern building in the Bjørvika district, houses the world's largest collection of Munch's works - over 28,000 works, documents and personal memorabilia. It is there that you can now see "The Scream" up close and immerse yourself in the world of the artist, for whom painting was a personal diary of the soul, and nature was not just a background but a co-creator of the work.
The painter, who had an extremely difficult childhood, often emphasized: "I inherited the two most terrible enemies of humanity – tuberculosis and madness."
He found solace in nature and art.
Outside the Munch Museum, the most famous version of The Scream is at the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Nasjonalmuseet) in Oslo.
