Accession Number
1954/2.31

Title
Tiger og bjørn

Artist(s)
Edvard Munch

Artist Nationality
Norwegian

Object Creation Date
1908-1909

Medium & Support
lithograph on paper

Dimensions
14 1/8 in x 11 5/16 in (35.88 cm x 28.73 cm);22 1/8 in x 18 in (56.2 cm x 45.72 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
From 1908-1909, Munch completed a series of prints depicting various zoo animals. Munch had registered in a rehabilitation program in Copenhagen for an alcohol addiction in 1908, and during this time, he frequented the local zoo. A larger portfolio of works came from this series. For this project, he constructed a lithographic portfolio with a narrative similar to the story of Adam and Eve but with a heavy influence from Greek mythology. In the story, the female Omega encounters the two male characters: a bear and a tiger. Later, the two males meet. After both smell her scent on each other, they begin to fight for Omega. This print was on the same stone as two other prints, only one of which was included with the Alpha and Omega series—this print was not included in the final portfolio.

Physical Description
This lithograph contains drawings of two animals. At the bottom center, there is a bear sitting and looking to the right. Along the top of the print, there is a tiger laying down on an unseen surface, its tail hanging down on the right. The print is signed (l.r.) "E. Munch" and numbered (l.l.) "Tiere XIX 26" in pencil.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
black and white print

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Bible stories
Panthera tigris (species)
Ursidae (family)
bears
modern and contemporary art
mythology (literary genre)
rehabilitation centers
sketches
tiger
tigers
zoos (institutions)