Madonna 1894

Edvard Munch created this oil on canvas painting, Madonna, which resides here at the Munch Museum. Munch painted his Madonna during the late 1890s, a period defined by the rise of modernism and shifting views on sexuality. This was a time when traditional gender roles were being questioned. Munch lived a life of emotional turmoil; themes such as love, anxiety, and death are at the forefront of his work. The Madonna portrays a woman in a state of ecstasy, with closed eyes and a serene expression. She is both sensual and spiritual. Her red halo alludes to the conventional image of the Virgin Mary, but also symbolizes passion and transgression. The painting challenges the traditional representation of women as either pure or sinful. Instead it represents the complexity of female sexuality, reflecting the cultural shifts of his time while inviting viewers to reconsider their own perceptions of the feminine.