Gunnar Heiberg after 1896

This is Edvard Munch’s drawing of Gunnar Heiberg. It is presented on white paper with graphite pencil at the Art Institute of Chicago. Notice how Munch captures Heiberg's essence through a network of lines. The portrait emerges from a delicate yet assertive sketch. Here, the formal qualities of line and form work to construct not just a likeness, but an emotional and psychological landscape. The use of line is particularly striking. Short, hatched strokes define the contours of Heiberg’s face and jacket, while the eyes are rendered with greater intensity. The rapid, almost frantic, application of graphite suggests an urgency, a desire to seize the fleeting nature of the subject's character. Munch destabilizes the traditional portrait by foregoing detail for an emphasis on expression. It serves not merely as a record but as an embodiment of the sitter's presence. Through the formal language of drawing, Munch offers us a glimpse into the complex interplay between artist, subject, and viewer.