The Garden in Åsgårdstrand

Edvard Munch's 'The Garden in Åsgårdstrand' (1904) is one of his many depictions of the small Norwegian coastal village that was his most constant summer retreat — the garden at Åsgårdstrand with its apple trees, its view toward the Oslo Fjord, and the specific quality of the Norwegian summer light were subjects he returned to throughout his career. His garden subjects from this beloved place showed a more intimate, peaceful aspect of his artistic personality than his more celebrated psychological compositions.

Munch renders the Åsgårdstrand garden with the directness and atmospheric sensitivity of his best outdoor subjects — the specific character of the garden (its trees, the quality of the Norwegian summer light, and the garden's spatial character) depicted with his characteristic expressionist touch. His handling of the light within the garden creates the specific atmosphere of the familiar, beloved place. The garden's specificity and his personal relationship to it give the subject its particular intimate quality.