Edvard Munch’s artwork “Self-Portrait at Professor Jacobson’s Hospital,” completed in 1909, is an oil on canvas painting belonging to the Expressionism movement. The self-portrait measures 100 x 110 cm and currently resides in the Rasmus Meyer Collection in Bergen, Norway. The painting reflects Munch’s introspective and emotional examination during a period of personal illness.
In the artwork, Munch portrays himself seated, facing the viewer with a penetrating and intense gaze. The background is composed of vibrant and contrasting stripes of color, suggesting a sense of unrest and psychological intensity. Munch has used a thick impasto technique with bold brushstrokes that contribute to the overall expressionistic style of the painting, which is characterized by its departure from realistic representation in favor of conveying emotional experience. The color palette is rich and varied, yet there is a notable dominance of blues and oranges which create a stark contrast. The composition is frontal and direct, with Munch positioned in the center, reinforcing the confrontational aspect of the self-portrait. His expression is somber, and his posture somewhat rigid, reflecting perhaps his state of health and mind at the time of the painting.