A Seller's Guide to Edvard Munch

Munch's art addressed questions of the human psyche, exploring love, anxiety, loneliness, and death. His bold use of colour and distorted forms challenged conventional artistic norms of his time, influencing generations of artists to come. His ability to capture raw human experiences on canvas and in print earned him international acclaim and secured his place as one of the most significant figures in late 19th and early 20th-century art.

Munch began experimenting with prints in the 1890s, mastering techniques such as lithography, woodcuts, and drypoint etching. His prints often explored the same psychological themes as his paintings - love, anxiety, and mortality - but with a raw, stripped-down colour-palette and intensity. His innovative approach to woodcuts, characterised by rough-hewn textures and bold, simplified forms, influenced the German Expressionists. Munch frequently revisited and reworked his printmaking plates, often creating variations of his most revered paintings, such as The Scream (1893). His most famous prints, including The Kiss (1897) and Madonna (1895), illustrate his ability to convey complex emotions through stark contrasts and fluid lines. Munch's printmaking portfolio comprises over 30,000 impressions, an enormous feat and evidence of his status as one of recent history’s great experimental artists.

Typically, it is Munch’s earlier, rarer works that command higher prices at auction. The record is currently held by an aquatint print of Young Woman On The Beach (1896), which sold at auction with Christie’s in 2013 for £1,850,000, over twice its high estimate. In 2019, this record was almost broken by a woodcut print of The Lonely Ones - Two Human Beings (1899-1917). One of 20 black-and-white lithographs of Munch’s iconic The Scream (1895) auctioned at Sotheby’s for £1,500,000 in 2016. Munch’s most famous images appear in different print formats, with woodcuts and lithographs claiming the highest value, and it is common for these well-known, figurative prints to reach upwards of £500,000 or even £1million.

Authentication is crucial for determining a print’s value, particularly with artists, like Munch, whose work has a notorious history of being stolen for sale on the black market. Authenticating a Munch print requires a combination of expert knowledge and careful examination. The first step is to consult the comprehensive catalogue raisonné of Munch's prints, which documents known works and their variations. Experts can examine the paper quality, looking for types Munch was known to use, and assess the printing technique for consistency with his methods. Provenance plays a vital role; a well-documented history of ownership can significantly support authenticity. Scientific methods such as paper analysis and infrared imaging may be employed to detect inconsistencies or anachronisms. Due to the complexity of Munch's printmaking process and the existence of numerous authorised posthumous prints, authentication often requires the expertise of specialised Munch scholars or institutions like the Munch Museum in Oslo. For valuable or significant pieces, obtaining a certificate of authenticity from a recognised authority is highly recommended.

Catalogue Raisonné

Munch's definitive catalogue raisonné is Edvard Munch: The Complete Graphic Works by Gerd Woll, published in 2012. This comprehensive catalogue is the result of decades of research and documents over 700 print motifs created by Munch. It is available in many major art libraries and can be purchased from specialist art booksellers. The Munch Museum in Oslo, which holds the largest collection of Munch's works, uses this catalogue as a primary reference. For the most up-to-date information, the museum's website offers digital resources that complement the printed catalogue raisonné, providing an invaluable tool for collectors, scholars, and auction houses in the authentication process.

The condition of a Munch print plays a crucial role in determining its value and appeal. Prints in excellent condition will have vibrant colours, sharp lines, and unblemished paper. When assessing your print, look for common signs of damage such as foxing (brown spots), yellowing, tears, creases, or water stains. Sunlight can be particularly damaging, fading colours especially in lithographs - well-preserved prints that have been stored away from direct light are highly sought after. Pay attention to the margins as untrimmed edges often result in a higher sale value. Any signs of restoration should be noted, as these can affect both authenticity and worth. Munch's prints on delicate Japan paper require extra care due to their susceptibility to damage. For long-term preservation, proper framing with acid-free materials is essential; alternatively, store your print in a protective folder or portfolio to keep it fully away from sunlight, dust, and moisture.

If you're unsure about your print's condition, it's wise to consult a professional conservator specialising in works on paper. They can provide a detailed condition report and offer valuable advice on preservation. For advice on how to get started, contact MyArtBroker.

Determining the optimal time to sell your Munch print involves considering multiple factors. The art market can be cyclical, with demand for certain artists or styles fluctuating over time. Keep an eye on major auctions featuring Munch's work, as successful sales can boost interest and prices across the market. Anniversary years related to Munch's life or career often spark renewed interest, potentially driving up values. Consulting with reputable art dealers or auction houses specialising in Munch's work can provide valuable insights into current market trends and help you gauge the best timing. Christie’s, Bonham’s, Phillips, and Sotheby’s all publish auction results and value trajectory reports on their websites. Remember that unexpected events, such as major museum exhibitions or significant rediscoveries, can suddenly increase demand for Munch's prints, creating opportune selling moments.

The record sale of Young Woman On The Beach (1896), for example, took place at Christie’s in London, less than a year after the comprehensive exhibition of Munch’s work, Edvard Munch: The Modern Eye, travelled to the Tate Modern. Woodcut prints of The Lonely Ones - Two Human Beings (1899) and Evening, Melancholy I (1896) achieved their highest prices to date in the six months that followed.

MyArtBroker offers advanced art tech tools to help you determine the optimal time to sell. Our MyPortfolio service features an AI-powered value indicator that provides real-time valuations of individual prints based on both public and private sales data. Combined with our complimentary valuations, we can help ensure your print achieves maximum value by selling at the perfect moment.

At MyArtBroker, our specialists provide a free market valuation for your artwork, offering a level of transparency unmatched in today’s market. In addition to our valuations, through our online Trading Floor, you can access real-time insights into works by the artist you’re looking to sell, including pieces that are most in demand, wanted, or currently for sale: allowing sellers to trust the valuation that they are provided.

Additionally, the MyPortfolio collection management service grants you free access to our comprehensive print market database. This resource allows you to review auction histories for the specific work you’re looking to sell, including hammer prices, values paid, and seller returns. In a fluctuating market, this historical data is invaluable - and often comes at a cost elsewhere - offering insights into past and current values to further inform decisions based on market timing and conditions. In addition to our specialists guidance, you have concrete data.

Our approach is tailored to align with the unique attributes of each artwork, and offer optimal results:

How a Private Sale Works

Unlike peer-to-peer platforms, which lack specialised expertise, authenticity guarantees, and legal infrastructure for high-value sales, MyArtBroker operates through private sales ensuring a secure and seamless transaction process. We charge sellers 0% to sell, and take a small commission from our buyers, absorbing essential aspects including insurance, shipping, and marketing - at no extra cost to the seller. There is no magic to it, we’re a lean specialised business with less overheads than traditional models meaning we can do better for our clients.

Our revenue is derived from buyer commissions only, which are individually negotiated upon offer, and we aim to give the client the best return in the market place. By focusing on high-value artworks in excess of £10,000, we provide specialised care and expertise, ensuring each piece receives the attention it deserves, while simultaneously maximising returns with our clients. For works that fall below this threshold speak to the team about a recommendation, we offer market advisory free of charge. Our goal at MyArtBroker is to offer a seamless solution, setting us apart in the art market.

Advisory and Recommendations

In cases for artists and artworks, where our existing network of collectors isn’t the best fit due to value, medium or condition we collaborate with reputable partners to facilitate its sale. Carefully tailoring your artwork to the right party. This tailored approach is especially important as it considers the unique attributes of each artwork, providing sellers with the best possible outcome in today’s shifting art market. You can discuss this approach with us without charge as part of our advisory service.

Such recommendations are on a case-by-case basis, and ensures broader exposure and takes advantage of our knowledge of where a work will do best.

In addition to our live trading floor, MyArtBroker's MyPortfolio serves as a collection management system, empowering collectors to curate and oversee their prints and editions collection. This feature grants users access to our print market database, uniquely tied to our proprietary algorithm, SingularityX. This algorithm scans and analyses both public auction and private sales data to determine real time valuations of individual print works, factoring in various aspects such as condition, colour, and other factors affecting value.

Read What Powers MyArtBroker's Technology? In Conversation With Stuart Jamieson, Financial Quant to learn more about our algorithm.

Emerging art tech tools are vital in navigating the current, and evolving, digital art market landscape. For instance, by adding Edvard Munch prints from our website to the MyPortfolio dashboard, users gain insight into unique sale opportunities and observe market performance and fluctuations as they happen, streamlining the sales process effortlessly. Our pioneering technology has revolutionised art portfolio management, making it more accessible and equipping users with data-driven insights for informed decisions. MyArtBroker harnesses cutting-edge technology driven by data, coupled with a team of industry experts, to deliver an exceptional experience. Our professionals work closely with clients, utilising the MyPortfolio dashboard, to provide personalised guidance for creating a profitable art collection. By merging technology and expertise, we are committed to offering unparalleled curation and customer service.