Munch ado about something: Edvard Munch’s The Scream, one of the most popular paintings of the 19th Century, has been recaptured from its kidnappers relatively unharmed, along with The Madonna, another Muncherpiece. The Guardian has the full report:
“The pictures came into our hands this afternoon after a successful police action,” said Iver Stensrud, head of the police investigation.
There had been a £163,000 reward for the recovery of the paintings, which were both completed in 1891 and are now owned by the city of Oslo. Mr Stensrud said no reward had been paid.
He refused to discuss the methods or details of the search and said it was not possible for the news media, or the public, to see the paintings immediately.
“All that remains is an expert examination to confirm with 100% certainty, that these are the original paintings. We believe these are the originals,” Mr Stensrud said. “I saw the paintings myself today, and there [was] far from the damage that could have been feared.” …
The court did not identify the armed men who entered the museum and threatened employees with their weapons. However, Judge Arne Lyng sentenced Petter Tharaldsen, 34, to eight years in prison, Bjoern Hoen, 37, to seven, and Petter Rosenvinge, 38, to four years for their part in the robbery…
The Scream, depicting a tortured soul, is arguably Norway‘s greatest cultural treasure. It is widely recognised around the world and enjoys cult status with students. A chain of pubs in the UK which is popular with students uses the image on the signs hanging outside its premises.
raincoaster 
Isn’t The Scream part of a series of paintings? I could be wrong. random fact. I love this painting.
Yes, if you follow the link it says near the bottom of the article that there were four Screams, and this is the most famous.
I adore this painting, too. When I ran across the story that it was rescued I actually screamed myself! This is such great news.
Ahhh… I see. Well, thanks. I knew that the Scream was part of a series but I had never seen the other paintings before.
It is great news that such a painting was rescued. I understand exactly what your going through.
Thanks for the note on how to embed videos. We actually know how to do it, it’s just that when there are too many videos, the page takes way too long to load. We’re trying to cut back a little.
Ah, right. NP feel free to delete the comment.
Hitchcock was actually inspired by this painting for a lot of his movies (see: screaming ladies). Definitely like that painting, good thing it’s back, now we can all sleep safe again and watch Psycho.
I remember reading someone who proposed that the figure depicted is not screaming but hearing the scream of all the world’s suffering, thus the ear covering and anguished look. Do you know the truth of this? It makes sense to me, but then, me? Art? I know what I like.
ScotsToryB
That’s an interesting interpretation, but I’m of the opinion that while it might be one aspect of the painting, Munch was far more preoccupied with his OWN suffering than anyone else’s and only sympathized with other people by imagining that they were undergoing something like what he was; it all related to the self. So I think this person is shutting out the screams of the world AND letting his own torture out, blocking the re-entry. So I guess my reply means: “all of the above”.