The scene depicted in Scandinavia’s most famous painting, Munch’s Skrik (the Scream, as seen here), is from a road overlooking the city of Oslo, the Oslofjord and Hovedøya, from Ekeberg hill. The painting shows the exact spot where Munch says he experienced a “scream through nature,” so, curious tourist that I am, I went out to Ekeberg to see if I could find it. A couple of artist friends of mine, Per Jonas and Heidi, live out there, and Per Jonas told me where to go to seek Munch. The first picture here is the best view of the city you can get from the road, so that was a good place to begin the quest, a place called Brannfjellveien, “the fire mountain way.”
From here I went down the hill a bit, to get onto Ekebergveien.
As you can see, it’s just a narrow track.
Next, I had been told to look out for a shop on my left. Behind this is another little road, and it is there I was told that the scream scene is.
But as you can see from this picture, there is no view. The road just ends at some houses.
I went around to Per Jonas’ and Heidi’s house for dinner, and we discussed my unsatisfactory day. Heidi revealed that from the road behind the shop, I could have gone left down a little path, and ascended through the woods. Then I would reach the spot. I probably didn’t see the path because it is under snow. And I would be waist deep in snow if I attempted the ascent through the woods at this time of year! So, mission aborted.
