Where can I see Edvard Munch's Night?

Night in Saint-Cloud is displayed at the National Gallery of Norway in Oslo. The museum purchased it from Dr. Fredrik Arentz's estate in 1917.

What inspired Munch to paint Night?

Munch painted Night as a memorial to his father, who died in 1889. The empty room and solitary figure reflect his grief.

When was Night painted?

Munch created Night in 1890 while studying in France. It was first exhibited that same year at the National Annual Autumn Exhibition.

Where Is Night? See It at National Gallery of Norway

Edvard Munch composed this Night in Saint-Cloud in 1890, creating what became a memorial to his father Christian, who had died the previous year. The oil on canvas measures 64.5 x 54 cm and shows an empty room with moonlight streaming through a window. A solitary figure sits in shadow, barely visible against the blue darkness.

Munch created this work in France, where he'd traveled on a state fellowship to study with Leon Bonnat. His father's death was traumatic, instilling a newfound interest in spirituality and symbolism. The painting first appeared at the National Annual Autumn Exhibition in 1890 under the simple title "Night."

The conversion of grief into art culminated during spring 1890 in two paintings: this somber interior and the contrasting Spring Day on Karl Johan Street. Together they represent death and life, darkness and light. This brooding work shows Munch moving toward the Expressionist style that would define his career. The painting hangs at the National Gallery of Norway in Oslo.