Lithograph printed in black on thin, cream laid Japan paper, 1896. 400x550 mm; 15 3/4x21 3/4 inches, wide margins. Signed in pencil, lower right, and inscribed "No. --7" in pencil, lower left. Likely an impression printed by Nielsen, from an unknown edition size (there were also printings by Auguste Clot, Paris, edition of 30; and Lasally, printed after 1906, unknown edition size). A superb, dark impression of this very scarce, early lithograph.
This lithograph, based on Munch's same-titled painting from 1895 (and now in the Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo), is among the artist's iconic images of death and suffering. The focus is not on the death, suggested by the bed near the background center of the composition, but rather on the individual grief and rather isolated suffering of each of the figures--the young man at the door upper left, the woman facing the viewer lower center and the seated woman in profile in front of her, as well as the figures around and seated figure in the chair upper right. Schiefler 73; Woll 65.
