Head of an Old Man with Beard

From the darkness, the face of an old man emerges.
Deeply etched wrinkles between his brows, and a long, flowing beard.
A vivid red color spreads across the background.

The year is 1902.
The painter Edvard Munch was gaining renown throughout Europe.
His exhibition in Berlin had been a success.
His reputation as an artist was nearing its peak.

However, his private life was steeped in tragedy.

His long-time lover, Tulla Larsen.
His relationship with her had escalated into a tumultuous drama of love and hate.
And in the autumn of that year, an incident occurred at their villa in Åsgårdstrand.

A pistol misfired.

As a result of this accident, Munch lost the first joint of his left middle finger.
For a painter, the physical pain of losing a finger was immense.
But what tormented him even more was the collapse of his self.
The fear of death.
And a deep distrust of others.
His psyche suffered a profound, unhealing trauma.