Why did Munch paint The Scream?

Munch painted The Scream to convey a message that was meaningful to him and that he believed would resonate with viewers. He became inspired to produce the painting after experiencing a panic attack. Munch recalled his inspiration in a January 22, 1892, diary entry: “I was walking along the road with two friends — the sun went down — I felt a gust of melancholy — suddenly the sky turned a bloody red. I stopped, leaned against the railing, tired to death — as the flaming skies hung like blood and sword over the blue-black fjord and the city — my friends went on — I stood there trembling with anxiety — and I felt a vast infinite scream through nature.” Through the turbulent landscape and expression of the figure, Munch aims to capture the feelings of terror that he experienced and to show how that fear impacted the way he saw the world around him. Shop an assortment of Edvard Munch art on 1stDibs.