Two paintings of Edvard Munch, the world-famous "Scream" and "Madonna" will be exhibited again in the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. After a press conference and preview on Wednesday the 21st of May, the public will have the opportunity to see the two conserved and restored works from the 23rd of May until the 26th of September 2008.
The paintings were robbed in broad daylight on the 22nd of August 2004 by two armed thieves, in the presence of visitors and museum staff. The thieves were allowed to escape with the paintings to avoid a life-threatening situation for the visitors.
It took more than two years of police work to find the paintings back and they were returned to the museum on the 31st of August 2006.
The paintings had sustained quite some damage, being cut from their frames at the time of the robbery. The conservation staff using microscopy, X-radiography, IR- and UV reflectography examined the damages. Samples of pigments and binders were taken and thoroughly examined.
Conservator Gry Landro at work on the "Scream"
Damaged edge of the "Scream"
Comparison of test results with documentation prior to the robbery allowed estimating the recent damage that the paintings had sustained. Tests had to shed more light on the risks of further deterioration over time. The resulting information allowed the conservators Gry Landro and Jin Ferrer to work out a conservation treatment that was based on minimal intervention, material and aesthetical stability and reversibility. A publication concerning the conservation of the paintings will be one of the papers published at the time of the exhibition.
Jin Ferrer and "Madonna"
Damage on "Madonna"
The painstaking research and conservation took about two years to complete and funding was provided, amongst others, by a firm called Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS, proving once more that companies can play a major role in the conservation of art and cultural heritage. A television documentary by Nordisk Film AS about the whole event will probably raise awareness about the security issues concerning art objects.
The conservation of the paintings allowed some new insights into the dating of the "Scream". An article with more information about the whole issue will be available from the museum's website on Wednesday the 21st of May, http://www.munch.museum.no/
We would like to thank Jorun Christoffersen, from the Agency of Culture in Oslo, Norway for the information and for permission to use the photographs above.