Four Women in the Garden (1926)
Gardens became an important theme in Munch’s work after he moved to Ekely in 1916. There he lived in a villa surrounded by overgrown gardens and farmland, which he painted in many different ways.
Photo © Munchmuseet
We often think of gardens as an outdoor room next to the house. In this garden, nature is more than just the background – it is bursting with life, greenness and growth. By contrast, the mood among the women seems strange and melancholy. There is not much fruit for them to gather in this orchard.
A picture like this also gave Munch the opportunity to paint human movement. The women stretching look almost as if they are dancing, and their colourful clothing contrasts with the green shades of nature.
