A tale about botany and the tree of knowledge
Listen to the text:
Edvard Munch's painting Harvesting women depicts two women harvesting apples from a bountiful tree.
The image represents the natural sciences, with a direct reference to the field of botany.
The story about Eve in the Bible – the cautionary tale of the fall of humankind – becomes a story about the modern harvest from the tree of knowledge.
Or as Munch himself wrote: ?germinating energy – The fruit of wisdom is enjoyed?
Details
- Technique and materials: Oil on canvas
- Date: 1915–1916
- Dimensions: 455 x 225 cm
- Woll: 1228
- UiO.K: 01408
Edvard Munch's Aula paintings
The decoration of the University Aula in Oslo was among Edvard Munch's most comprehensive art projects, and a prestigious and controversial assignment in its time.
The 11 pictures are the only expressionist monumental paintings preserved in their original context. The motifs show the university's activities and history, enlightenment and the great, eternal forces of nature and mankind.
The Aula decoration is part of UiO's art collection.