The Kiss, fourth version
Woodcut
1902 (printed)
1902 (printed)
| Artist/Maker |
In this woodcut Munch (1863-1944) returned to a subject he had first begun to explore in paintings, drawings and an etching of 1895. The etching shows a couple at a window with the curtains open and lights on in the buildings opposite. Between 1897, when he cut the first woodblock version of The Kiss, and 1902, when this version was completed, Munch distilled the essence of the scene down to this almost abstract image. The contours of the embracing couple mark the edge of one woodblock, which Munch printed over a background made from another block, an unworked plank whose grain forms the design.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Kiss, fourth version (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Woodcut, printed in grey and black from two woodblocks, on Japanese paper |
| Brief description | Edvard Munch. 'The Kiss', fourth version. 1902 |
| Physical description | Embracing figures of a man and a woman in black, grey background. Pronounced grain of woodblocks visible. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | In this woodcut Munch (1863-1944) returned to a subject he had first begun to explore in paintings, drawings and an etching of 1895. The etching shows a couple at a window with the curtains open and lights on in the buildings opposite. Between 1897, when he cut the first woodblock version of The Kiss, and 1902, when this version was completed, Munch distilled the essence of the scene down to this almost abstract image. The contours of the embracing couple mark the edge of one woodblock, which Munch printed over a background made from another block, an unworked plank whose grain forms the design. |
| Bibliographic reference | Timmers, Margaret (ed), Impressions of the Twentieth Century: Fine Art Prints from the V&A's Collection, London, V&A Publications, 2001
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.5067-1960 |
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| Record created | December 5, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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