Rue Lafayette
- Artist: Edvard Munch
- Creation date: 1891
About
In 1889, when Munch received a bursary from the Norwegian state, he went to Paris, where he familiarised himself with the period’s contemporary painters. The big city and modern life. Rhythm, pulse and movement.
In the second half of the 19th century, Paris underwent major changes in its urban planning. Old buildings and districts were torn down to make way for long, broad, straight avenues and boulevards. These rapidly became part of the city’s visual identity and a popular subject for many of the period’s most influential artists, who were interested in depicting life in the modern metropolis.
The vantage point, the dramatic perspective and the diffuse form in this picture owe a lot to impressionist painting. The paint is applied in rhythmical, speckled and slanting strokes creating a radiant, vibrant overall effect. Here Munch has combined a punctual brushstroke with a concise style that points beyond the subject matter that is actually registered.
In spring 1891, Munch occupied rooms at Rue Lafayette no. 49. Presumably it is the view from his own rooms that he has taken as the basis for this painting. To the left we glimpse the Rue Drouot and the Rue Faubourg-Montmartre. The impression of bustling, pulsating life out on the street is offset by the sombre figure on the balcony. The painting shows Munch’s strong interest in impressionism during this period. It remained, however, an interlude, and in the years that followed he preferred to explore other directions.
The picture was purchased for the National Gallery in 1933 with funds donated by Olaf Schou.
- Creation date:
- 1891
- Other titles:
- Rue Lafayette (NOR)
- Object type:
- Painting
- Materials and techniques:
- Olje på lerret
- Material:
- Canvas
- Dimensions:
- Height: 92 cm
- Width: 73 cm
- Keywords:
- Visual art
- Classification:
- 532 - Bildende kunst
- Motif - type:
- Street scene
- Motif - location:
- Paris, Frankrike
- Production place:
- Paris, Frankrike
- Inventory no.:
- NG.M.01725
- Cataloguing level:
- Single object
- Acquisition:
- Purchased with funds from Olaf Schous gift 1933
- Owner and collection:
- Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design, The Fine Art Collections
- Photo:
- Høstland, Børre
- Impressionismen og Norden. Fransk avantgarde i det sene 1800-tal og kunsten i Norden 1870-1920København, Danmark(2003)Impressionismen och Norden. Det sena 1800-talets franska avantgardekonst och konsten i norden 1870-1920Stockholm, Sverige(2002–2003)
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Other works by Edvard Munch
Night in NiceEdvard Munch(1891)
Mother and DaughterEdvard MunchAntagelig 1897
MoonlightEdvard Munch1895
Winter on the FjordEdvard Munch1915
The Frenchman. Marcel ArchinardEdvard MunchAntagelig 1904
Mrs. SchwarzEdvard Munch(1906)
PubertyEdvard Munch(1894)
Garden in Snow IIEdvard MunchPlaten utført 1913; trykket 1913
The ScreamEdvard Munch1893
Study of a HeadEdvard Munch1883
MadonnaEdvard Munch(1894)
Street in Kragerø with ChildrenEdvard Munch1910













































































