Portrait of Märta Sandal 

Edvard Munch rendered this portrait of Märta Sandal with brown crayon on paper, capturing her likeness in a study of poise and introspection. The sitter's composed posture—arm resting gently on the chair back, gaze directed forward—reverberates with echoes of classical portraiture. Yet, her somewhat melancholic expression hints at the modern psychological depths Munch so often plumbed. Consider the recurring motif of the portrait itself. From ancient Roman busts to Renaissance paintings, the portrait has always served as a vessel for memory, identity, and presence. Märta's gaze, though captured on paper, transcends the boundaries of time, engaging us in a silent dialogue across the ages. This form echoes through history, constantly reshaped by cultural values and individual experiences. Here, Munch transforms a traditional form, infusing it with a modern sensibility that speaks to the enduring human need to remember, to connect, and to see ourselves reflected in the faces of others.