The Brooch. Eva Mudocci, 1903
Lithograph, 605 x 474 mm
NG.K&H.B.00816, (GW 244)
© Nasjonalmuseet / Munch-museet / Munch-Ellingsen-gruppen / BONO 2010.
Foto: Jacques Lathion / Nasjonalmuseet
One of Munch’s most beautiful and highly praised female figures. Eva Mudocci (Rose Lynton, prob. 1883−1953) was a young, gifted
violinist whom Munch got to know in 1902. Together with the pianist Bella Edwards, she toured Europe giving concerts that
brought her renown and acclaim. In the lithograph, Mudocci is depicted half-length and from a low angle. Her loose dark hair
flows freely around her pale face. Her gaze is lowered and turned to one side, towards something beyond the frame and invisible
to the viewer. Focal to the picture is her brooch, which creates a fine balance in the composition and enhances her enigmatic
gaze. What does it mean to her? What is she thinking about? Mudocci appears in two other works Munch finished in the same
year: Violin Concert and Salome.
There are certain similarities between the figure in The Brooch and Munch’s famous Madonna. Earlier, this lithograph itself bore that title. Here the erotic dimension is considerably toned
down and the figure shows more individual and thoughtful traits. The work demonstrates how Munch was gradually mastering the
expressive potential of the lithographic medium. The undulating lines have a lot in common with the leisurely brushstrokes
that characterise so many of Munch’s paintings. With its simple contrasts and subtle visual effects this is a highlight among
Munch’s graphic works.
The work was bequeathed to the National Gallery by Hans Aas in 1947.
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