The artwork “Train smoke” by Edvard Munch, created in 1900, is a landscape oil painting on canvas capturing a vivid and emotionally charged scene. As an exemplar of the Expressionism movement, the piece measures 84.5 by 109 centimeters. It resides in the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway.
In the artwork, there are expressive and sinuous trees that dominate the foreground, their forms stylized and exaggerated to convey an intense and brooding atmosphere. These trees, perhaps pines, are painted with bold, swirling lines, emphasizing movement and an almost dreamlike quality. Below the trees, billowing white smoke drifts across the landscape, its soft, rounded shapes indicative of train emissions, which stand in stark contrast to the well-defined trees.
The background features an expansive view overlooking what appears to be a body of water with undulating hills or coastline stretching into the distance. Reflective qualities in the water suggest a time of day where light is in a state of transition, potentially dawn or dusk, given the soft, muted tones and gentle gradations of color in the sky. Two sailing ships gently navigate the calm waters, adding a sense of serenity and movement to the otherwise still landscape.
Munch’s use of color in this piece is notable—muted yet harmonious, with a restrained palette that suggests a particular time of day and creates a mood that resonates with the viewer. The sky, filled with warm pinks and cool blues, hints at the fleeting moments of twilight, evoking contemplation and introspection.
Overall, “Train smoke” embodies both a physical landscape and a psychological space, indicative of Munch’s style, where the emotional state is as significant as the physical environment depicted.
